Let's Play Persona 3 FES
by Dad of War
Summary: "The new miracle will start from here, at the Shining Place, right? Once more, with you…" Junpei gets a video game in the mail! Cool, right? Guess what? It freaks him out. So much so that he has all his friends come over and see it—and its title alone mortifies them: "Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One – Mail**

Junpei Iori was, by all accounts, a fairly sane human being. Sure, he'd fought monsters by night in a humongous tower that was practically spawned from his school, essentially being an altar to a Goddess of death who'd tried to end the world, but hey, at least he'd walked out of it and lived out the rest of his life. Not like he'd had any other choice.

But his sanity was coupled with sorrow. He'd left that part of his life with tragedy weighing deep within his heart. It wasn't enough for the girl he'd loved to fall. No, his best friend – the one who he'd once envied for all his talents, the one he had never been able to surpass in terms of social skills, the one who'd managed to grab the hearts of practically everyone in the school – had died. Having sacrificed his life to save a world that had never even known of his humble and mightily courageous deed, Junpei Iori's best friend died on the rooftop of his highschool, in the lap of a blonde-haired android named Aigis.

Chidori had been hard enough. But the second death merely added to it.

They had eventually managed to overcome the tragic events that had lurched forward at them – he and his friends. And it took what had felt like hours of exploration, days of getting stronger, months of emotional torture, and years of catharsis. They'd accepted his death. Aigis had found her Answer to life. Yukari had grown immensely and had decided to devote her life to making sure his death hadn't been in vain. As did Junpei, as did Mitsuru, as did Akihiko – as did all of his friends.

But it still would hurt at times, as that little blue-haired boy he'd gotten to know and love might not ever be able to see how much his friends had grown as people.

And so, it came as a huge surprise to him when a package had arrived at his door. Signed by no one, wrapped as neatly as a gift you'd give to your most precious person. Curious, Junpei wondered what was inside. From the sounds it'd make whenever he'd shake it and the fact that it'd been wrapped in plastic from a game shop, Junpei deduced that it was a game.

He wondered just who in the world would give him a game, and not tell him who they were. He figured that it might've been just one of his friends, and they'd one day decided to give him a game just for the sake of their friendship.

Maybe.

And then he removed the wrapping off of it.

* * *

"Yuka-tanyouhavetocometomyapartmentsomethingcameinthemailit'ssuperweirdandIdon'tlikeitsojustcomeover-"

"Junpei, what-?"

"No time to explain! Y-you just have to get Akihiko-senpai, Fuuka, Mitsuru-senpai, Aigis – everyone! Even Ken and Koro-chan! J-just come here! It'll only work at my place!"

"Why?"

"It's...you're not going to believe it..."

"What?"

"Trust me! You'll only believe it when you see it for yourself! If I told you, you'd think it was some kinda crazy joke or some – just come here! You've gotta see it for yourself!"

"But Junpei-"

"It involves _him_!"

"...What...?"

"It-it doesn't even just involve him, it involves _all_ of us!"

"What are you talking about-?"

"Just. Come. Here. You _have_ to."

"...Alright. This better not be some prank-"

"I wouldn't prank about something about him."

* * *

Everyone had arrived at Junpei's rather cramped apartment, sitting on a couch someone with Junpei's salary could never have afforded on their own and trying to withstand the rather mild smell of old pizza and sweat.

A game console – an old one, the _Playstation 2_, to be precise – had been plugged into the wall and set up so that the rather uncomfortably fancy flatscreen TV would be able to display the game.

"This...is weird," Junpei began. "So weird – immensely weird. Even for _us_, I mean-"

"What's going on, Junpei-san?" Ken asked. "Why'd you urge us all to come here in the first place?"

"What did you mean when you said this involved _him_?" Yukari asked. Or more like, everyone asked. They just didn't say it out loud, instead giving very commanding looks. Aigis' was the most commanding.

"_This_ is what's going on!" Junpei grabbed the game that'd been inside the plastic he'd torn off a few days ago. "This thing here!"

The game's cover read:

_Shin Megami Tensei  
Persona 3 FES_

And it had an arcane symbol on the side, along with a silhouette of the resident android taking up the left.

Everybody's eyes widened at the title especially.

"I got it _in the mail_. Now, look on the back!"

The game's description struck them:

_**Step back into the night...**_

_Terrible creatures lurk in the dark, preying on those who wander into the hidden hour that lies between one day and the next. As a member of a secret school club, you must wield your inner power – Persona – and protect humanity from impending doom. Will you live to see the saga's end – and beyond?_

The special features only made things worse:

_The best RPG of 2007 gets even better in this definitive version of Persona 3!_

_Play the original 70+ hour game with brand new Personas, events and a Hard play mode..._

_Or jump right into the 30+ hours of new content found in the all-new chapter, The Answer!_

To top it all off, Aigis was seen on the back cover as well, wearing the armor they'd seen her wear back in the Abyss of Time...and her sister, Metis, was right next to the description of the game.

"_What_!?" Yukari was the first to vocalize everyone's thoughts.

"What is the meaning of this...?" Aigis – a very perturbed Aigis – murmured out. "Who sent you...?"

Fuuka was silent, mouth agape at the whole affair.

"Who sent you _that thing_?" Mitsuru demanded.

"I have no idea," Junpei replied. "There was no name on the package..."

"Who in their right mind...? Mitsuru, did-"

"Nobody from the Kirijo Group would dare sell the secrets of Persona and the Dark Hour to any _game developers_, Akihiko. And besides...if any of them did, _I'd find out_."

"Then...what...who...?!" Ken could barely make out a phrase.

Koromaru just stared at everyone, wondering why they were acting so frantic.

"And..._it works_."

"...What...?"

"You have got to see the opening. It...it _scares_ me, okay?"

He set the game in the console.

After a few logos flashed for a few seconds on the screen...the intro played out.

_ Kimi ha ne tashika ni ano toki watashi no soba ni ita _

Images of them flashed. Of Aigis looking shocked, at first. Then it showed _someone_ clutching his head. Then it showed someone wearing pink pointing a gun to her head. Then it showed two unrecognizable people who wore blue, one of them having cold yellow eyes. Then it showed a little boy's eyes, looking as if he'd snapped his fingers, and then Aigis sliding sideways-

_Itsudatte itsudatte itsudatte sugu yoko de waratte ita _

_-_then Koromaru was in the picture while everyone hung on crosses in the back, then Fuuka's eyes opened, then Mitsuru appeared, then Akihiko with Junpei and Yukari looked up and-

_ Nakushitemo torimodosu kimi wo_

-and then _he_ appeared with his back turned to them and then Yukari's mouth moved with the rhythm of the song and Aigis was crying and a key showed itself in the foreground as it twisted upwards after pointing down in a puddle of blood as the next five words hit their hearts like a gunshot.

_I will never leave you_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two - Burn my Dread...**

"What _is_ Atlus anyway...?"

Junpei wondered this aloud as Mitsuru had gotten out her iPad and tried searching for the company supposedly behind the production for this game. Alas, she hadn't found any results concerning said company. Which was beyond aggravating.

And then the intro ended, the entire team trying to ignore all the scenes flashing by and mocking them for their rather dumbstruck reactions. Leading into the menu, which had an outright _beautiful _piano sequence playing over it which would have tugged at their hearts and brought them to tears had they not been so taken aback by the prospect of the fact that this game was actually _a thing_.

Playing along, they came across the option to either play _The Journey _or _The Answer_. They wanted to play neither.

"What do we pick...?" Aigis asked the others. "Any suggestions?"

"...Well, _The Answer _is bonus content, right?" Akihiko said, still wary of the whole affair. "So, that makes _The Journey _the main game, which, according to the back of the box is...over sixty hours long, so..."

"Do we really want to play this?" Ken asked. "We can just close the game and never think about it ever again..."

Yukari was half in agreement and half in disagreement. She was caught between wanting to know the truth of what this game was, and wanting to find whoever had gotten it to stores and throttle him/her. But she was, more to the point, scared. Frightened of what this game would present. Terrified of what it had in store for her and the rest of the team.

Would she see _him _again? Would she want to see him again?

...Of course she would...she still wanted to see him. Even after all this time, but...what if...what if the game showed her something of him she didn't want to see-?

_Ring ring._

Junpei's phone was abuzz with a new text message. Opening his phone, he had figured it was Toshiro-san messaging him at a bad time until he read the text. Then, his mouth widened in horror as he squeaked out, "Guys...?"

Yukari and Fuuka got up from their seats, Aigis following suit to see just what had rendered their friend into such a state of fear. Then, they fell into that same state upon reading the message itself:

_Play both the Journey and the Answer  
On Normal.  
All Of You.  
__Get the good ending.  
__You'll know the truth when you finish  
3_

"Uh huh. We'll see about that," Junpei growled, attempting a call at the number presented to him.

* * *

He gave up after the seventeenth attempt at a call. No answers to any calls. The messages he'd _try _to send would all get cut off due to the phone saying there was a problem with network connection. Any time the others had tried to make calls of their own through the number would end up the same way. Nothing was getting anywhere.

"We're back to square one...," Yukari muttered irately. "Who would do this!? Who _could_ do this!?"

"He said we'd know the truth if we finish the game," Junpei said in response, very miffed at his inability to get in contact with the mastermind behind all this. "Don't think we have a choice in this but to play..."

"But...sixty hours?" Fuuka mused. "Isn't that...kind of long? Even for a game, I mean..."

Junpei nodded. Games usually pushed for, like, forty hours, maybe? Even fifty hours...rarely, if ever, had he found a game which pushed sixty. And with _The Answer_...how long was that going to be? They all had jobs. Lives to live. And this was a _game_...

...But it was a game worth playing.

"We've got to figure out who's behind all this," Junpei resolutely said. "We've all gotta make free time for this. Guys, I know that this is freaky and weird and we all wanna put this behind us, but...but we don't know what's going on, and we've got to figure it out. This guy...whoever did this _knows_ things. Who knows _what_ he'll do if we don't do what he says?"

Yukari shifted in her seat, clearly uneasy with all of this...but finding no flaw in Junpei's argument.

"...I'm free on Sundays," Mitsuru said. "I think I'll be able to see this through. Aigis, Akihiko, and Fuuka are free on Sunday as well, but only from 3:00 PM onwards."

"Alright...I'm free on that day, too," Ken muttered.

Koromaru barked.

"I'm practically free everyday after five PM...but...Yuka-tan...?"

He was hesitant to call her out because he saw in her eyes something that he had never wanted to see in her eyes again after leaving the Abyss of Time.

"I think I can make it on Sundays, too."

Her statement betrayed the look in her eyes.

"Alright...," Junpei strained. "Let's play..._The Journey_."

* * *

After selecting "Normal" difficulty, the first cutscene of the entire game played out before them.

A message popped up on screen, one that sent a chill down their collective spine at how ominous it was.

_Time never waits.  
__It delivers all equally to the same end._

_You, who wish to safeguard the future,  
However limited it may be..._

_You will be given one year;  
Go forth without falter,_

_With your heart as your guide..._

* * *

The game was practically speaking to them...or was it? Was it programmed with the knowledge that this was meant solely for them? Or...was it speaking to someone else? It said, "your heart," so...whose heart is it talking about? Ours? Or...?

Mitsuru's head was moving rapidly at the implications set by the message, and she covered her mouth grimly as she leaned back in her seat, already in a complete state of loathing to finish the rest of the game despite playing not even five minutes of it.

* * *

The scene shifted to a full moon beyond a veil of misty clouds, the clouds retreating so that the TV screen could bask in the hauntingly cold white of the moon. This did not go unnoticed by the S.E.E.S. members, so they all felt a rather nagging pang of hurt at the sight of it.

Then the moon zoomed out, revealing it to be but a mere part of a series of white circles, and then it zoomed out even more to reveal that it was all on an LED screen, advertising something they figured was either deodorant or sunscreen. Seeing as there was a bikini-wearing woman on the screen, it was most likely the latter product.

But then, casually - so casually that it felt almost like a slap on the face - _he_ strolled by.

* * *

They all widened their eyes and had their mouths agape, an anvil dropping in the distance.

Yukari gripped her seat as her lips quivered. Junpei pursed his lips and gripped the controller, his hands steadily getting sweatier. Fuuka leaned back in her seat and tried stroking her upper arms to make herself feel safer. Akihiko just closed his eyes and averted his head. Aigis had no reaction, Koromaru's ears perked up, Mitsuru lurched forward, Ken blinked and clenched his teeth.

At that moment, Junpei regretted even picking up the game.

* * *

He kept on walking, listening to music as his dull eyes stared either straight ahead or at the ground. He was walking along a street filled with people talking about nonsense and living their lives like nothing was wrong, unaware that a year from this very point, they were in danger of the end of the world itself.

Some scenes of the cityscape were animated in slow-motion, giving the team moments to glance at the world he'd surrounded himself in before they had entered his life.

But interspersed throughout this were scenes which terrified everyone, especially Yukari.

First, she was sitting on the ground, curled up into a ball and her hand on her head.

* * *

Yukari flinched at the sudden sight of herself.

* * *

Water dripped, and she pulled a silver gun up off the ground.

* * *

Junpei turned to see her in the most restrained form of panic a person could have had.

* * *

She pointed the gun to her head, breathing heavily.

* * *

Soon, everyone had a horrible taste in their mouths at this.

* * *

She and the gun were interspersed with scenes of him looking up while at a crossroads. Her eyes, then his, then the sound of the faucet.

Then, she dropped the gun and wept loud enough for the sounds to be heard outside the window of the dorm.

* * *

It took all of her willpower not to get up and out of the apartment.

Junpei pressed on. Wanting to see what was next.

This was personal, now.

He didn't know how bad it was going to get.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three - ...it's a contract.**

Then there was a loud, booming noise that sounded like something you'd hear from a train in transit...which was shown directly on-screen. The scene faded into a shot of the interior of the train, where all but a few passengers were shown - one of whom was on the far right of the screen, so far you could barely make out what he or she looked like, from the face. The angle was cut off just barely enough such that they could only see the person's back.

"Attention, passengers," the intercom blared, "We sincerely apologize for any-"

And then the camera shifted to behind the shoulder of the person who had been to the far right of the screen - _he_ was looking out the window and his reflection appeared on said window after the train passed by a building, music faintly playing in his ear.

"-inconvenience caused by the delay. The next stop is Iwa-"

* * *

They all stopped thinking for just that one brief second as his reflection gave a shot to them of his eyes obscured by his blue hair and his mouth in a stoic line. Not once did they ever think of how typical it was for _him _to be so emotionless, but the only thought that hit them was, We're playing as him, aren't we?

Junpei gripped the controller tighter and gritted his teeth. He had known it from the beginning. Obviously. They were gonna be playing as him...he was the main character. 'Course he was...he seemed the most "main-character" material out of all of them, come to think of it. He frowned at the screen and he let out a small and uncomfortable noise as he thought to himself, Please don't be the main character...

It wasn't out of jealousy that he had thought all these things. He was going to be playing as his former best friend. The man who had led him and everyone else to victory years ago - and who had sacrificed his life in doing so. Was he supposed to feel _joy_? How was he going to play him properly? There was no way he'd be able to properly represent..._him_. The only person who could..._was him. _Any other person doing it would be...just disrespect.

He was afraid. So afraid.

But their collective shock turned into a bit of a surprise when the next thing that appeared on-screen jumped at them.

* * *

_/You've got to, to let it move first/_  
_/Let it out-/_

A blue butterfly flashed on-screen and fluttered its wings in slow motion as that song from his earphones played.

* * *

"What the-?!" was Akihiko's reaction (and pretty much everyone else's), but then-

* * *

"-Iwatodai."

_He_ appeared shocked, judging from his reflection on the window, but what was outside the window flashed white as they cut to the butterfly again, the song from the earphones playing much louder, now.

_/-amn depressed/_  
_/Let's get it up/_  
_/Then what'cha gotta do is drop-/_

* * *

They didn't really want to question the ambiguity of the butterfly and just felt all weird inside. But, luckily for them, the scene shifted yet again.

* * *

Circular, cylindrical things were turning as the intercom in the station called out, "Iwatodai, Iwatodai. This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please make sure you board in time for departure."

As the voice said these things, they saw _him _lazily walking around, blissfully unaware of his impending death less than a year later. The camera cut to a shot of him walking by in slow motion, focusing on the earpiece shoving music through his eardrums.

"Iwatodai. Iwatodai."

He had been in front of the turnstiles - before it faded to black.

The music in his earphones kept on playing.

_/Burn my dread.../_

And then a clock showed up behind him, the hands slowly turning to midnight.

* * *

Midnight. Midnight.

Midnight.

Everyone knew what was to happen, and none of them liked the fact that they knew what was going to happen, and they disliked what was going to happen _even less_.

* * *

They got a shot of his mp3, and the music stopped dead. The device, showing the time to be 12:00 AM, immediately turned black. The electronic message board behind him blacked out as well.

"Huh?"

* * *

Hearing _his _voice again was almost...an alien sensation. Just that simple word - out of reaction, he had said it, yet it rang volumes to them. For, indeed, there had been a time when they all had wanted to hear him say something - anything to them...and he'd not respond.

* * *

The desk screens and the lights blacked out in the station as well, and the sky turned from its natural, calming dark blue to a searing and sickly green.

The clock now had a streak of blood running down the glass.

* * *

They had thought they'd already escaped the Dark Hour's clutches. They had lived years without it - and had been content with that fact.

But now...it had returned. And it was mocking them - viciously so. Taunting them from that black box with images of him.

Yukari, Aigis, and Fuuka couldn't believe their eyes. Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Ken were enraged. Koromaru couldn't tear his eyes away from the screen. And Junpei just made a point to power on through.

* * *

The camera panned up to give the bewildered audience a look at their main protagonist. Appearing equally dumbstruck by the sudden change of scenery, he merely...blinked and was on the verge of shrugging his shoulders at the whole ordeal.

He let out a bored sigh as he moved to the right of the screen.

* * *

Junpei had a hand on his face and couldn't help but chuckle silently at that. What a guy...even _then_, he was bored of everything. Even Yukari raised an eyebrow at her former crush's impassiveness, while everyone else just kept their eyes on the screen, save Koromaru, who was now rubbing his eyes.

* * *

They caught a glimpse - up-close - of his earphone. Then, the yellow, humungous moon of the Dark Hour appeared and flashed a bit on screen, catching them off-guard with the almost surreal editing.

The screen then showed Iwatodai's streets, littered with coffins and with blood stains around the sides of the streets, before panning upward to get a better shot at the looming, incomplete moon glaring at the world.

And yet, _he _was just leisurely walking through it all...without a care in the world.

* * *

Are you kidding me...?

Even Akihiko couldn't take what was happening with a straight face. He'd been like this when he had first encountered the Dark Hour? How impassive had he_ been_? This was not even funny - it was actually kind of frightening.

Mitsuru was put at unease, especially considering that he had expressed disbelief at there being a twenty-fifth hour of the day, when they had told him..._this _was his surprised face? He hadn't even looked just a _little _bit unsettled!

Yukari and the rest couldn't gather their thoughts in time, as before they could-

* * *

He stepped on a puddle of blood and was suddenly at the doorstep of their old dormitory. Opening the door, he let himself in, engulfed in a white expanse that was the interior.

Now inside the lobby of the dorm, he removed his earphones and ignored the warmth of the lights permeating the place.

"You're late," an unfamiliar voice cut in, "I've been waiting a long time for you."

A little boy's head popped up from the bottom-right of the screen.

* * *

Okay, what.

Yukari drew back a bit in her seat at the sudden intrusion. What was with the little kid, where had he come from, and what was with the creepiness in his voice.

Mitsuru and Fuuka were both unnerved at this little boy, and Junpei just widened his eyes.

"Wha-?"

* * *

He stared at the child, slowly turning his head as he did so. Even in the most creepy of situations...he maintained his stoicism. Almost an admirable trait, if only it hadn't been so...unsettling.

The boy snapped his fingers, and the camera panned over to his eye, "Now, if you want to proceed..."

* * *

Yukari made a disgusted noise and drew closer to Fuuka, who was drawing closer to Aigis, who already had Mitsuru nudging up on her left-

* * *

The boy appeared in front of him now, gesturing to the table, which had a clipbook on it all of a sudden.

"...please sign your name there. It's a contract." Said contract _flipped itself open_, "Don't worry. All it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions." The scene focused on _his _exposed silver eye. "You know. The usual stuff."

* * *

"What...is going on?" Junpei vocalized basically the thoughts of everyone in the room. And then the next thing happened.

* * *

The screen had an arrangement of numbers and letters, and two rows of blank spaces. And Junpei knew what this meant.

* * *

"We're gonna give him a name."

"What...?" Yukari asked incredulously.

"The game is telling us to make our own name for him...he..._oh_, man..."

"What? What is it?"

"Don't you get it...? He...he was just...!" he stood up from his seat. "What they do in these kinds of games is they allow the player to make up whatever name they wanna make up for the main character, so they can put themselves in the role!"

And then implications started worming their way into each one's mind.

What did this mean? What did this _mean_? Was he truly a person? Had there truly been a mind inside him? Was he real? Was he...there...?

Just what was he? What truly was their friend? Was he even human? Had he truly cared about any of them? Had someone controlled him, all this time? Had he been but a mere puppet!?

And worse yet...what did that make _them_...?

Junpei's phone rang.

He opened it in a fit of rage.

_Name him what he had told you his name was.  
_

Junpei huffed. His eyes flared up, and he gritted his teeth. "Alright. Fine. That's how you wanna play..."

He dragged his cursor over to a few letters.

If that was how he was going to be-!

_Arisato  
Minato_

He was gonna do this and do it by the book. If only to show him.

You aren't gonna break us. You aren't. I won't let you.


	4. Intermission 1

**Intermission I - Don't cry.**

can they listen to you?

Can they

hear you

from where you are now

?

From where you want to be?

Why can't you hear them? why can't you see them?

Why can't they see you? Do they not want to see you?

You are their friend, right?

Their precious friend.

You know them.

And you want them - you saw them before, and you know why you saw. Can you see them again?

Again? Again and again?

AGAIN

AGAIN

You saw them once, why not - not again not again?

...Blankity blank. Black. Empty. Void. Voiceless.

Where are they?

Don't they know? Can't they see you're alone?

They would always be friends with you, right?

Where are they? Where are they? Where are you - where are you all?

Where are you?

Where are you now?

You want to see...

...see...

SEE

YOU CAN'T SEE THEM ANYMORE

AND THEY CAN'T SEE YOU

THEY'RE GONE AND THEY'VE LEFT

You are

Not Here

A

Re You

Her

e?

If You're Here

why Can't You be THERE

W

h

Y

WHY can't you cry anymore?

cRY?

CRY?

What is crying?

What are tears?

Where are you?

Why is it so cold?

Why are there wires around your arms?

Who are you?

Who am I?

* * *

**A/N:**

**...I will _try _to update soon.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four - Choices**

After Junpei filled in Minato's name, the scene returned to the young boy they had met earlier. Ominously, he said, as he closed the clipbook, "No one can escape time. It delivers us all to the same end." He brought the clipbook up to eye level as the screen cut to a shot of his eyes boring deep within the soul of the audience. "You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes." He turned his hand over, and the clipbook vanished. The bright, yellow lights that had once illuminated the room then faded away, allowing the monstrous, vile green of the Dark Hour to return.

The boy then stretched out his hand, darkness enveloping him, and forebodingly setting the tone for this miserable experience everyone was in for.

"And so, it begins..."

* * *

Yukari shifted in her seat, majorly put at unease because of how...creepy the boy had made everything. Despite having fought the end of the world personified, she would still find herself searching under her bed cautiously whenever the threat of ghosts or supernatural creatures would invade her mind. Shadows existed, who was to say ghosts didn't? She didn't like dwelling on it further, though, so she did not.

Junpei didn't say it. He didn't want to say it, but he was sure everyone else in the room was thinking the same thing; the boy had directed his statement at Minato...but it could easily have been applied to_ them_, as well. The game had already mocked them over a hundred times, and yet it was only the first few minutes of the very first cutscene. Really, was this even fair? Of course not.

If there was anything Junpei had learned from his past, it was that life wasn't as fair as the world wanted it to be.

* * *

A chord pierced the air, as Minato stared at the empty space the boy had been in. And suddenly, a frightened voice called out, "Who's there!?"

* * *

Well, I know _that_ voice.

Junpei turned his head over to Yukari, who was being the object of everyone's attention at the moment, because they all knew that voice as well. Yukari herself shrank slightly in her seat, her eyes focused on the screen and her face contorted in a mired mix of embarrassment and anxiety.

So, this is how they first met...

Junpei refused to make a comment, as this...really wasn't the time. But he'd be lying if he were to say that discovering that _this _was how she had first come in contact with his old friend wasn't even a _little_ funny.

* * *

A girl appeared in the scene. She was wearing a pink cardigan, and got into a battle stance upon seeing the main protagonist. Her breaths were heavy, and she looked like she was staring down death itself. Minato stared at her like a deer in headlights, but was abject _horrified _upon seeing that she had a gun strapped to her thigh.

* * *

Yukari couldn't help feeling really uneasy with this. Basically everyone was witnessing their first meeting - a moment of her old shame. She had been so unused to the whole prospect of fighting Shadows, and so when _he _had suddenly entered the dorm, in the middle of the Dark Hour...she had been told that easily being frightened was a symptom of awakening to your potential, but that hadn't made her feel any better. She had overreacted, and she had felt still the fool for having done so. And she had never even _imagined _that he would end up being the man she'd...

She let out a deep sigh and decided not to think much more on the matter. Of course, she knew why he had to sacrifice himself - she had understood, years ago. But, understandably so, she still had bouts of feeling morose over it every once in a while. The first cut is the deepest, they say. He had cut _exceptionally _deep, regardless of whether he intended to do so or not.

Fuuka and Aegis said nothing, having figured the same as Junpei on it not being in good taste right now. Akihiko made an awkward noise as he cleared his throat, and Ken was just blinking. Mitsuru was unaffected; she had already been there, when the two of them had met.

* * *

Yukari was about to tear the gun out, when suddenly!

"Takeba, wait!"

The girl whipped around, and the camera panned upward slowly, revealing a new character from behind the black. Interspersed with this introduction were transitions detailing the Dark Hour shifting back into the normal hours of the night, as the music returned to the scene.

_/Burn my dread.../_

Yukari smiled at this new character, Minato in the background and now appearing to have recomposed himself. A woman with purplish hair was giving a smile as the camera slowly zoomed outward from her face.

And then, the scene shifted.

* * *

Junpei's phone rang; a text had been sent to him. Everyone else had been too occupied by the wonders of the cutscene to pay attention to the ringing noise.

He opened it, and the text simply read:

_Pick whatever I tell you to pick  
__When dialogue choices pop up_

...Wait. What!? Dialogue choices-!?

And then he stopped himself. This was an RPG. Of _course _there were going to be dialogue choices! They'd given him a name, _of course_ the game was going to go so far as to include dialogue options...!

He cupped his head with his right hand and the grip his left hand had had on the controller was loosening.

What next, is the game gonna let me pick his girlfriend, or something?

He paused.

...No. It wouldn't...right? But...? He then widened his eyes in fear. The game...was sixty hours long for a reason. And it must have been _real _special if they said it was the "best RPG of 2007."

And he had to stop right there because he remembered that if it was in fact released in 2007, that would mean that _this game had been sold in stores two years before everything went horrible _and that was a huge can of worms he didn't want to open up yet. And so, he focused on the content that may or may not have been in the game. The content that could have showed something...dreadful.

What if...? No, no, that's just...that'd just be...

He then felt _immensely _bitter, and decided not to pursue the matter. They had yet another cutscene to power through. One set inside the lobby of their former dormitory, with character models depicting Arisato, Kirijo, and Takeba talking to each other - each model with a rather oversized head, and an animesque image serving as a character cut-out over the text.

* * *

**[Redhead:** I didn't think you'd arrive so late. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm.**]**

**[Brunette:** ...Who's _he_?**] **She asked that with an air of nervousness and uncertainty.

* * *

...

Mitsuru wondered if she had always looked so...old, and Takeba wondered if her eyes indeed were _that _big. And both were particularly concerned about their hairstyles...were they really that extravagant?

* * *

**[Mitsuru Kirijo:** He's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign him here. He'll eventually be moved to a room in the boys' dorm.**]**

**[Brunette:** ...Is it okay for him to be here?**]**

**[Mitsuru Kirijo:** I guess we'll see...this is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you.**]**

**[Yukari Takeba:** ...Hey.**]**

* * *

And then the options appeared.

* * *

**{Nice to meet you.}**  
{Why do you have a gun?}  
{Is this the girls' dorm?}

* * *

Junpei groaned, as everyone immediately turned to him. "The game...it wants us to make a _personality_ for the guy!"

"What do you mean?" Aigis asked him quizzically.

"These kinds of games allow the player to inject their own personality into the player character," he explained tiredly. "It helps get people invested in the game - and they do this by giving the player character dialogue options in response to story events."

"So...then..." Akihiko looked back at the screen and back to Junpei. Screen, Junpei, screen, Junpei. "Does that mean that...? Like, something...controlled him?"

"I don't know!" Junpei blurted out.

"This doesn't make any sense!" Yukari exclaimed. "If he was being controlled, then by what? And for what? _Why_? What exactly would-!?"

_Ring, ring_.

Junpei's phone. He groaned and opened it, having received a new text.

_"Why do you have a gun?"  
__Pick it *now*_

You monster.

He slammed his thumb on the directional button facing down.

* * *

{Nice to meet you.}  
**{Why do you have a gun?}**  
{Is this the girls' dorm?}

* * *

"I hate this game," was all Junpei could mutter out as he pressed the X button.

And he muttered that as Takeba remembered something from long ago, way back then.

* * *

**[Yukari Takeba:** Huh? Um, well, it's sorta like a hobby... Well, not a hobby, but...**]**

**[Mitsuru Kirijo:** You know how it is these days... It's for self-defense. It's not a real gun, of course.**]**

**[Yukari Takeba:** No, it's not, but... Umm, how should I explain it...?**]**

**[Mitsuru Kirijo:** Unlike the other buildings, this one's co-ed. It's not your typical dorm, though. I'll explain it to you later when I get a chance.**]**

**[Mitsuru Kirijo:** It's getting late, so you should get some rest. Your room is on the second floor, at the end of the hallway. Your things should already be there.**]**

**[Yukari Takeba:** Oh... I'll show you the way. Follow me.**]**

* * *

Yukari's eyes widened in realization.

"Mitsuru, do you remember...?" Yukari turned to her friend, who nodded in response.

"What is it?" Junpei asked, practically dead inside, while keeping his eyes glued to the television.

"I believe the response you had chosen, Iori, is what Arisato himself had said that very night."

And at that, the cogs in Junpei's head began turning. The same...thing?

The phone rang again. Another text. Junpei opened it.

_Yes  
The choices I'm making you pick  
Are the choices he made  
:D_

...Whoever this person was, he certainly knew how to make people really want to kill him. "The guy said to make the choices Minato made."

Junpei shook his head before returning to the game, Minato and Yukari's avatars having made it to the second floor.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five - A Fun Year**

Aigis was not taking this development as hard as the others were, to her own shock.

True, this was _very _unsettling - a video game being made about her and her friends' experiences fighting the Shadows - but she had learned a long time ago that looking at things objectively and calmly was preferable to any violent sort of reaction. At least, that was what she had thought. Her friends, she mused, were outright livid at the events playing out on the screen, though.

Trying to keep herself calm was easy enough. Although she was slightly intrigued at how Minato-san's early life at the dormitory had gone. Before they'd met. It was not like she could have helped feeling this way. The boy had touched her heart (literally), along with everyone else's.

When he had died, she had missed him. She had honestly wanted nothing more than to drift away and return to being a mechanical shell, driven only by her primary programming and nothing else. She was grateful for the times they'd shared, when he had put up with her awkward antics and such. She remembered having been depressed, believing that he'd care nothing for someone like her, someone made of steel and silicon and polymer rather than blood and flesh. She admired and loved the boy. And she was certain that the other women in their little group did, as well. Last time she checked, her sensors were good enough to detect _that _much.

...it wasn't like she was _jealous _or anything, but...

Oh, who was she trying to deceive? She blinked and closed her eyes for five seconds before returning to the events taking place on the screen. Minato and Yukari's avatars had made it to Minato's old room. The music was contemplative and simple, reflecting the enigmatic nature of the scene taking place.

* * *

**[Yukari Takeba:** This is it... Pretty easy to remember, huh? ...Since it's right at the end of the hall. Oh yeah, make sure you don't lose your key, or you'll never hear the end of it... So, any questions?**]**

* * *

**{What's that contract for?}**

{Does that kid live here too?}

* * *

Ring.

Junpei opened the phone with lightning-fast reflexes.

_second one_

Junpei's ambiguous expression contrasted greatly with how he fumingly pressed the "down" button on the directional pad-

* * *

{What's that contract for?}

**{Does that kid live here too?}**

* * *

-and slammed the X button.

* * *

**[Yukari:** What kid? What are you talking about? ...C'mon, it's not funny.**]**

* * *

That last statement, everyone found to be quite apposite, although they all recognized it as the understatement of the millennium. And then the game tried telling them what Minato was supposedly feeling at the time - whilst speaking in the second person.

* * *

**Yukari doesn't seem to know what you're talking about.**

* * *

"Tell us something we don't know," Junpei scowled. This was player immersion going all kinds of wrong. He swore he was never going to touch another RPG that referred to the protagonist in the second person. Not after this _very _uncomfortable string of events.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Um... Can I ask you something? On your way here from the station, was everything okay?**]**

* * *

**{Yeah.}**

{What do you mean?}

* * *

Ring.

_second one again_

Junpei decided to text back, uncaring of the fact that it was not going to connect to any sort of number. Yukari looked over his text and snorted, finding some amusement in how humorously vulgar it was.

Down, X.

* * *

**[Yukari:** You know what I- ...Never mind. It seems like you're alright. Well, I better get going...**]**

Yukari's avatar started walking away, then stopped.

**[Yukari:** Um... I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Good night.**]**

Yukari then left, Minato entering his room, and the scene transitioning into the next day.

**4/7/09**

* * *

"No wonder this game takes seventy hours," Junpei groaned.

"Well, we all kind of expected it'd go through the entire year, right?" Akihiko sighed, straightening himself. "Although...the fact that someone would put so much effort in this mess...," he hung his head upon recalling some very unpleasant memories, "makes it worse..."

Mitsuru laid a hand on his shoulder, and he let it stay there. He gave a small chuckle. But the game went on.

* * *

**Early Morning**

Minato stood in his room, hands in pockets, until a knock on the door sounded out, punctuated with a _Knock Knock_ in-game. The music was joyful, exemplifying the wonders of the morning sun, exciting, uplifting - essentially everything S.E.E.S. wasn't in the mood to enjoy at the moment.

**[Yukari:** It's Yukari. Are you awake?**]**

* * *

** {Open the door.}**

{Ignore her.}

* * *

_second one_

"Just type, '2,'" Junpei said to the phone, not expecting any reply in return. How fast could this person text?

Ring again.

_Ok  
__2_

Junpei wanted whoever this was to die in a fire. Down, X.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Hello! Please answer the door, or I'll get in trouble!**]**

**You decide you had better not ignore her.**

* * *

Mitsuru, Junpei, and Yukari were all simultaneously thinking how annoying it was that the game was telling them how to feel and act. True, this was technically what Minato was feeling and acting, but the fact that the descriptions just threw them into the whole game through its choice of words just made the experience all the more unsettling.

Akihiko let in a sharp breath. He had never been _that _close to Arisato, but the boy had been a friend. More than a friend, a comrade-in-arms. And one of the bravest people he had ever met. The fact that Arisato's life was being documented - no, it wasn't even his life. His life would've been _fine_, in comparison. His thoughts, his feelings, his day by day actions. All of them were on screen right now, and they were in control of them. It made him feel...a bit dirty. If his actions were all being controlled by someone else, he wouldn't be very comfortable.

Arisato, on the other hand, had always seemed...apathetic. Even exhausted. Who knows how he'd have reacted, if he had found out that he had been controlled by someone, some_thing _else?

Somewhere...somehow...

* * *

Yukari was now in Minato's room.

**[Yukari:** Good morning. Did you sleep okay?**] **Yukari's avatar's head bobbed up and down, as if sizing Minato's avatar up. **[**Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. It's getting late, so... Are you ready to go?**]**

* * *

**{Yeah, I'm ready.}**

{I can find it myself.}

* * *

_1_

"Iori?"

"Yes?" Junpei didn't even try to hide his exasperation, not even to Mitsuru. She noticed this, but let it slide, because she would have barely held it together in his situation.

"What if you were to choose something other than what you're being told to choose?" she asked. "Could we try and see what would happen?"

"I dunno if that'd be a good idea...," Junpei stammered, "I mean, considering what this guy could be capable of?"

"It might help us-"

Ring.

**◕ ‿‿ ◕**

_*i'm watching you all*  
Don't try to diverge or else  
Something Bad Will Happen_

Immediately, a chill went down both Mitsuru's and Junpei's spines as the latter hid away the phone from anyone else and the former started darting her eyes all over the place - both of them in frantic, obvious fear. Mitsuru had already gone to the windows and was looking for any snipers of any kind, Akihiko having followed her worriedly, when Junpei obediently pressed X and ignored the others' concerned queries.

* * *

The cutout depicting Yukari gave an illustrated smile. **[Yukari: **Okay. Then, let's go.**]**

* * *

"Mitsuru," Akihiko asked her, as she held her head out of Junpei's living room window and looked in every possible direction, "what happened?"

"Whoever is doing this is watching us _right now_," she said, obviously trying to remain calm. "Help me look."

He did so without question, his spine straightening and his lungs hollow.

* * *

And a cutscene played; another drawn, animated one.

The old monorail was seen zooming by, a magnificently-oversized building in the background reflecting the gleaming lights of the sun.

"So, that's it," Yukari said to Minato, smiling. A stark contrast from her apprehensive and aggressive nature just the previous scene. Both she and Minato were in the monorail; behind them, a crowd of people. Minato's eyes were out of the shot, and focus slowly shifted from the girl to him. "See? There it is," Yukari finished.

Minato's eyes suddenly cut into frame, and he turned. His expression was...very uneasy.

* * *

Seeing that expression left Aigis, Junpei, Fuuka, and Yukari with _very _bad taste in their mouths. It was just harrowing, making it through the first few minutes of the game, and now, they had to see Minato with _that _expression? _Him_, looking like _that_? It was as if he _knew _Gekkoukan was to be the place he'd...

...Fuuka immediately stood up. "Junpei-kun...where's the restroom...?"

Junpei brought his eyes ground wards. "My room. First door on the left."

Fuuka nodded and followed his directions exactly. Yukari and Aigis looked at Fuuka, then Junpei, then at each other, then just continued watching. The train was speeding ahead on the tracks now.

Ken, immediately seeing the atmosphere become unbearably worse, merely looked upon Koromaru. The dog pouted and whined, and his ears drooped down to the sides of his head. Ken stroked the sad animal's fur, closing his eyes solemnly.

* * *

Yukari and Minato were walking alongside each other, the clamors of students and teenagers walking along the same path as they filling the audio. Someone on a bicycle rang their bell and called out to Yukari, "Morning!"

To which the scene shifted to Yukari, who replied to the girl, "Good morning," with a smile. She then turned forward, and the scene shifted once again.

Yukari and Minato were now standing outside the gates of Gekkoukan.

"Well, this is it," the former stated with finality, gripping her bag. The scene shifted directly to her face, and she said to Minato - jovially, happily - "We're here. Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it!"

* * *

Yukari was cupping her forehead in her hands, she couldn't take much more. The irony of _everything _just was being thrown relentlessly into her face - _their _faces - the game was laughing at them again. She then felt something too heavy for a hand weigh upon her shoulder - Aigis was now there, beside her, trying to comfort her. Aigis' eyes, despite being mechanical, showed something weighing them.

Yukari nodded, and forced herself to stay strong, as Mitsuru and Akihiko reentered the room.

Junpei sighed. The skies on the screen, the building behind Yukari, Yukari's naive "I-haven't-seen-nuthin-yet" attitude towards Minato, everything about this cutscene was reminding him of the old days. And yes, despite the universe conspiring to make _Persona 3 FES _the worst game ever, Junpei, Aigis, and Yukari _still_...still found themselves feeling nostalgic.

That school was a nightmare, but it had been _their_nightmare. And phrasing it like that certainly didn't help matters, but...it was host to a myriad of experiences, many good, many bad. The school, as disturbing as it may seem, had been their _life _for an entire year. Who could blame them for feeling that sense of warmth?

It was messed up, but it was the place where their lives had been defined.

"What'd we miss?" Akihiko asked, blasé.

"Not much," Junpei sighed, turning to Mitsuru. "Found anything?"

"Nothing. Not even a camera."

"You check everywhere-?"

"_Yes_."

"Okay, okay, chill..."

* * *

Fuuka had not tried to show it - everyone else had already too much on their plates - but she would be lying if seeing Minato again didn't twist her heart a little.

Like Yukari, she had felt quite...abysmal when Minato had died. After all...unlike Yukari, whom Minato had taken to the summer festival - unlike Mitsuru, whose depression Minato had helped overcome - unlike Aigis, who had stayed by his side when he had died...Fuuka was barely ever in Minato's life. Save for...serving him all those _horrible _rice balls...

It wasn't like her feelings for Minato had been _secret_. She had known that everyone had known of what she had felt towards him. Everyone _except _him had known, anyway. And when he had died, she had been hurt. But everyone else, Aigis and Yukari-chan especially, were hurting as well. She couldn't just wallow with them in despair - he wouldn't have allowed it. So, yes, she had pretended to be relatively alright. Despite Junpei-kun and Sanada-san asking her if she was alright. Despite Kirijo-san's and Ken-kun's encouraging words. Despite Yukari-chan's ignorance of it all. Despite Aigis' ease with getting him to hang out with her.

Despite every single girl in the school falling head over heels in love with the guy and him not even looking like he cared one bit-

...where did that come from...?

She gave a sour expression at the mirror facing her as she turned off the faucet. Taking in a deep breath, she returned to the game.

Now was not the time to think about such horrible, _untrue_ things that she had let go for years and years. Things that she'd kept hidden for so long. Things that just...didn't matter any longer.

By the time she had returned to the living room, Mitsuru had made a gesture at her to come to the kitchen. Kirijo had gathered the rest of the group in said area to discuss her and Iori's findings. Junpei had to continue playing the game. Like he had another choice.

"Mitsuru...what's going on?" Yukari asked her.

Mitsuru cleared her throat and began, "The person behind all this texted _this_ to Iori and me."

**◕ ‿‿ ◕**

_*i'm watching you all*__  
Don't try to diverge or else  
Something Bad Will Happen__  
_

Aigis stared at the text shown inquisitively. Yukari's eyes turned into saucers. Akihiko seemed understanding now of the situation, Ken did the same as Yukari, Fuuka gasped, and Koromaru scratched at his ears.

"Hopefully that quells your concerns," Mitsuru sighed disdainfully, placing the phone on the counter.

* * *

In-game, Minato and Yukari's avatars had made it to their shoe lockers, within the confines of the school building.

**[Yukari:** You're okay from here, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The Faculty Office is right there to the left. ...And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions before I go?**]**

* * *

**{Which class are you in?}**

{No, not really.}

* * *

Ring.

"Kirijo-san?"

Phone opened. "The text reads, '2.'"

Down, X. Again. Was Junpei to choose the second option, always? If so, this _person texting him _could just tell him so.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Hey... About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? ...See ya later.**]**

Yukari's avatar then left the area, and the game finally, _finally _allowed Junpei to control the protagonist Minato Arisato. The scene transitioned, and now Minato's avatar was standing in a crowded area - the first floor of Gekkoukan High.

* * *

Using the analog stick to control him made Junpei feel dirty. But, but, but. Task at hand. The objective now was to head into the Faculty Office. Which was labelled like a proper noun, in-game.

Junpei ignored all the other characters chattering about and made Minato move to the Office, his phone with Mitsuru and seemingly not objecting to his willingness to try and finish the story as quickly as possible.

No, don't care about how it looks _exactly _like how the school looked like back then. No, don't talk to Kenji or Kaz or Yuko or those other guys and that foreign kid. Go, just go, just _go_.

He pressed X on a door labelled _Faculty Office _on screen.

* * *

**[Teacher:** Oh, are you the new student?**]**

* * *

Junpei recognized the character - _Ms. Toriumi! _And all he could think of was how much she looked like an older Yukari.

...come to think of it, she _did_...

* * *

Minato's avatar nodded.

**[Teacher:** Minato Arisato...**] **she said/not said, as she suddenly and inexplicably lost her voice while the text took note of Minato's name, **[**11th grade, correct? Wow, you've lived in a lot of different places... Let's see... In 1999... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents- *gasp***]**

* * *

"_You raised it, dammit! This is all your fault! So you should do something about it! You're supposed to be 'special,' right!?"_

...

Junpei let out a bit of a ragged gasp and placed the controller down, leaving the conversation at a bit of a standstill. He removed his baseball cap and stared at it contemplatively for three seconds before putting it back on his head, his mouth quivering.

_"I'm scared, too."_

* * *

**[Teacher: **I'm sorry... I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this beforehand. I'm Ms. Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school.**]**

* * *

**{Oh...Thanks.}**

{Nice to meet you!}

* * *

_Ring._

"New text?" Junpei called, from his seat.

Phone opened. "1."

X.

* * *

**[Ms. Toriumi:** Have you seen the classroom assignments? You're in 2-F; that's my class. But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me.**]**

* * *

As Junpei powered through the next few cutscenes, this conversation took place.

"What does he mean by 'something bad will happen?'" Ken asked Mitsuru, pretending he didn't know the answer.

"I don't know. We cannot diverge from the choices Arisato had made, lest we find out. And I personally don't want to."

"We must expect the worst; there's no telling what this person is capable of." Aigis then cupped her mouth in contemplation. "Ask him how long we must-"

_Ring._

Phone opened.

_Today, play just until the first "boss"  
_

First boss...?

Little did the inexperienced, uncouth savages know that Junpei had made it to a scene which was near and dear to his heart.

* * *

**[Student:** S'up, dude? How's it goin'?**]**

* * *

**{Who are you?}**

{What do you want?}

* * *

**[Student: **Me?**]**

* * *

No, he means Kenji, idiot. Of course he means you. It was almost laughable how cringy he had been.

* * *

**[Student:** I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in eighth grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid... So I wanted to say, "hey." ...See what a nice guy I am!**]**

* * *

Junpei noted how the cutout of him perfectly had all the characteristics of the anime best friend; you know. The wide eyes of idiocy and naivety, the laid-back frame which contrasted with the main character's more brooding posture, the dumb grin on his face - the portrait of Junpei was designed to be the bromantic foil of Minato Arisato.

Designed.

He didn't feel happy at that at all.

"What scene is this?" asked Yukari, returning to her seat alongside the others.

"I'm being introduced as a character...," Junpei joylessly replied. He could only wonder if he was the tank of the group, when they would go into battle. Whenever battle came.

* * *

Yukari entered and approached Junpei and Minato

**[Junpei:** Hey, it's Yuka-tan! I didn't think we'd be in the same class again.**] **Junpei excitedly exclaimed, his avatar's expression mirroring that upbeat reaction.

**[Yukari:** *sigh* At it again, huh? I swear, you'll talk to anyone if they'll listen.**] **Yukari's cutout looked...annoyed, to a degree. **[**Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?**]**

**[Junpei:** What? But, I was just bein' friendly.**] **Flabbergasted, Junpei's cutout appeared to be.

**[Yukari:** If you say so.**] **Yukari's massive head swivelled over to Minato's avatar. **[**Anyway, looks like we're in the same homeroom...**]**

* * *

**{Yeah, I know.}**

{It's just a coincidence.}

{It must be fate.}

* * *

_Ring - _opened.

_3_

Junpei snorted.

Down, down, X.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Fate? Yeah, right. *chuckle* Still, I'm a little surprised.**]**

* * *

Ken made a bit of a chuckle, "Minato-san _said _that to you?"

Yukari blushed a deep red. Aigis seemed to smile goofily at this, while Mitsuru raised an eyebrow in not-too-concealed amusement and Fuuka just...averted her eyes. But she, too, blushed red.

"...guy was never smooth when trying to sweet-talk," Junpei chuckled, he and Akihiko recalling what Minato had said to Aigis when they'd first met on Yakushima.

_"Hey, baby."_

Come to think of it, Minato was pretty much worse at pickup lines than Junpei had ever been.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Um, hello? Are you forgetting that I'm in this class too?**] **Now was Junpei's cutout's turn to be annoyed. **[**By the way, I heard you two came to school together this morning. What's up with that? C'mon, gimme the dirt!**] **The grin on Junpei's face was exaggerated to the point of offense.

* * *

"I never smiled like that...," Junpei shook his head. "Did I ever smile like that-?"

Unanimously, "Yes."

"Wha-!?" Junpei was stunned at this betrayal. "Why didn't anyone tell me this? I'm open to feedback, here!"

Yukari shrugged. "We like you just the way you are?"

"I look like a joke!"

"That's how you normally look when smiling."

"Shut up!"

* * *

**[Yukari:** Wh-What are you talking about!? We live in the same dorm. There's nothing going on, okay? Why are people even talking about it!? Now you have me worried...**] **Yukari's cutout had widened eyes, looking _shocked _at Junpei's suggestion. Before turning to our protagonist, **[**Hey... You didn't say anything to anyone about...you know what, did you?**]**

* * *

**{Uh uh.}**

{You know what?}

* * *

"Pick the second option," Yukari urged Junpei. "I remember, he said that and I got mad at him for it."

"Vivid memory." Junpei found himself grinning, and Yukari flushed again-

_Ring_. Son of a - we know what to choose!

_1_

"...what?"

"What's wrong?"

"He...told me to choose the first option."

"What?" Yukari exclaimed. "B-but that's not...wait, I remember, that's exactly what he said! 'You know what?' He was confused! I remember, because I - I kinda...," she slumped her shoulders, "kinda then assumed he wasn't all that smart..."

"You thought _Arisato _wasn't smart?" Akihiko snorted. "The guy-"

"-got _perfect in every exam_, I remember...don't have to rub it in..."

"In any case, we can't risk it," Aigis concluded. "Follow this person's instructions."

"...okay..."

He pressed X and hoped the world wouldn't implode-

* * *

**[Yukari:** Okay, good.**]**

* * *

Everyone exhaled, grateful that the world was still there-

* * *

**[Yukari:** Seriously... Don't say anything about last night, alright?**]**

* * *

...

"You couldn't word it a bit better-?"

"Now _you _shut up."

"Okay...okay..."

* * *

A picture of Junpei's head - with a shocked expression and an exclamation point - appeared on screen, along with a loud sound effect that sounded like a _BEEP._

**[Yukari:** Wh-What?**]**

**[Junpei:** L-Last night...?**]**

Shock, on the cutout.** [Yukari:** W-Wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea! Listen! I just met him yesterday, and there's absolutely nothing between us!**] **The cutout then seemed to calm down somewhat. Geez... I've gotta go. I've got something to take care of for the archery , you better not start any rumors!**]**

Yukari's avatar then left the room, leaving the two men to themselves.

**[Junpei:** Ah, who cares? No one takes rumors seriously, anyway. She's so paranoid...**] **Junpei's cutout looked exhausted, but then perked up, **[**But, hey! It's your first day here, and people are already talkin' about you! Believe it or not, she's actually pretty popular. You da man!**] **A sick, painfully cringy attempt at a cool smirk. **[**Heheh, this is gonna be a fun year. I can feel it!**]**

* * *

Everybody collectively groaned.

* * *

**A/N:**

* * *

**I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY.**

**I SERIOUSLY NEVER EXPECTED TO GET THIS MANY HITS.**

**HOLY CRAP. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.**

**SO SORRY THIS COULDN'T GET MORE DETAILS - I PROMISE, WE FIGHT ARCANA MAGICIAN NEXT CHAPTER.**

**YOU ARE DA BEST EVAR AND I LUBYU TO DEATH, BUT COLLEGE IS COMING UP SOON AGAIN.**

**I AM SO LAZY I KNOW PLEASE FORGIVE ME THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PUTTING UP WITH THIS TRASH AUTHOR ;_;**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six - This isn't a game**

* * *

**HELP: YOU CAN SAVE YOUR GAME AT THE SIGN-IN SHEET.**

* * *

"Shut up," bitterly spat Junpei, despite knowing the game couldn't respond back to him.

* * *

After being greeted by Mitsuru's avatar, Junpei had Minato enter his room, since there wasn't much else to do, and the game said Minato was feeling tired anyway. But just as Junpei and the rest of the team thought they'd transition into the next day, a cutscene played out.

It was set in the lobby of the dorm. Mitsuru was reading on the couch as another student approached her.

**[Confident-looking Student:** I'm going out for a bit.**]**

* * *

Even Akihiko himself had to admit, he was pretty handsome in his youthful days. At least by the cutout's standards. But come to think of it, had he left that bandage on his head the _entire_ school year?

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** ...Hm?**]**

The cutout smirked. **[Confident-looking Student:** Didn't you see the newspaper? There's a lot going on.**]**

**[Mitsuru:** ...I know. People who had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome...I've seen it in the news quite often lately. They say it's due to stress, but...**]**

**[Confident-looking Student:** Yeah, right. It has to be THEM. Otherwise, it's not worth my time...**] **His voice itched with excitement.

* * *

Okay. Okay. They were going to have to face the Shadows again. Junpei and the others had prepared themselves for this eventuality. The Shadows. Again. After they'd spent all that time getting rid of 'em.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** You have a one-track mind...**] **she said, somewhat scoldingly. **[**Will you be okay on your own? The Chairman will be here for the next few days, but after that, I can...**]**

**[Confident-looking Student:** Don't worry. I'm just getting a little practice.**]**

* * *

Yes, Akihiko acknowledged that this was the Akihiko from before; the one who cared all about fighting and training and thought everything was just some competition. No, that did not make this game any less the monstrosity that it was, and in fact only made it much more of a monstrosity to the former school boxing champion.

* * *

Mitsuru sighed. **[Mitsuru:** This isn't a game, Akihiko...**]**

* * *

Junpei almost spouted a great, big "HA!" at that sentence, considering the _thing _that was inside his PS2 right now. Almost. It would have been in terrible taste, had he done so.

* * *

**4/8/09**

**/Early Morning**

There was a voiceless conversation taking place at the front of the gates, as Minato's avatar started walking into the school building. Two other 3D models started speaking to each other, Minato appearing to eavesdrop.

**[Gossiping Student:** Did you hear the rumor...?**]**

**[Listening Student:** Oh, um... something about... a bathroom?**]**

* * *

"Even _this_, the game remembered to put in," Junpei whispered to himself, remembering how Minato would simply get information about any scheduled quizzes through word of mouth, sometimes _on the day of the quiz itself_, and still pass them all.

* * *

**[Gossiping Student:** N-No! Not that one! I mean the one about the first-year student! Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day.**]**

* * *

The only word that could form in _everyone's mind _(except for Koromaru) was _What._

* * *

**[Gossiping Student: **If her mother tries to talk to her, she only mutters to herself, "It's coming... It's coming...!"**]**

* * *

Everyone turned rather queasy, remembering how Apathy Syndrome had been a persistent and nightmarish problem in society perpetrated by the Shadows. And then their queasiness turned into horror, remembering that the Shadows were spawned from Nyx, and then the thought of facing down _Nyx again_ forced itself into their heads.

Aigis stiffened. Yukari bit her lip. Fuuka looked heartbroken. Junpei gripped the controller harder. Ken cupped his head in his hands. Akihiko narrowed his eyes, glaring at the screen all the while, and Mitsuru was unmoved. Even Koromaru looked uncomfortable.

* * *

**[Listening Student:** Huh. How about that.**]**

**[Gossiping Student:** You don't believe me...?**]**

The first bell then rang, and the protagonist entered the school alongside the two students.

**Afternoon**

* * *

Aigis and Mitsuru briefly pondered if the game were actually going to dare pulling off the _entire year_, in _real time_, but then they realized the processor of the console wouldn't have been able to handle it. Although, considering who or what had sent them this game, maybe the game _would _have dared.

Fortunately for them, that wasn't the case; the game would only take specific segments from the year. The scene would have rushed them with nostalgia again, if they had not been _really _miffed at everything the game had to offer.

* * *

Their composition teacher, Ms. Toriumi, was busy teaching her subject to a bunch of non-listening students. Still, nobody had any voices.

**[Ms. Toriumi:** Hakushu Kitahara is great, but I think I prefer Fuyuhiko Yoshimura. His works aren't as famous, but that's what I like about him. My personal favorite is "Mangekyo." Why isn't it ever in textbooks...? I'll bring it next time so you can write an essay on it.**]**

* * *

Yukari groaned, "Stop rambling..."

* * *

**[Ms. Toriumi: **...Hey, Junpei! Were you listening? Who did I say was my favorite author?**]**

* * *

"They recorded this!?" Junpei exclaimed, startling everyone. "Are you kidding me!?"

* * *

**[Junpei:** H-Huh? U-Ummm...**] **Junpei directed his statement to Minato, **[**Psst! Who does she like?**]**

* * *

**{Hakushu Kitahara.}**

{Fuyuhiko Yoshimura.}

{Junpei Iori.}

* * *

Yukari and Fuuka chortled a bit at the fact that the third option was even an option, while Junpei raged.

"I knew it!" Junpei shouted, pointing at the screen like a child. "I knew he knew! He gave me the wrong answer on purpose —!"

_Ring_

He opened it, and screamed, "What!?" despite the fact that texts can't respond to screams.

_2_

"...No way," he gritted his teeth, "he's breaking his own rules!"

"What are you screaming about?" Yukari chided him, having been unfortunate enough to have sat next to him.

"Minato gave me the first option!" Junpei responded. "He gave me the wrong answer, and I ended up being reamed by Toriumi. Why the hell...?" He groaned, "Doesn't matter, let's just —" X, "—get this over with!"

* * *

**[Ms. Toriumi:** That's right! So you were listening to me after all!**]**

**[Junpei:** Eheheh... Well, you know how I like to pay attention!**] **He then turned his attention to Minato, presumably whispering, **[**Man, you saved my bacon, Minato!**]**

**You hear your classmates whispering...**

**[Classmate:** Minato gave him the answer... He must pay attention in class!**]**

* * *

Yukari in particular looked a little wary at the game's bringing up of people's rather keen observations on Minato's attentiveness. "What—?"

* * *

**You became slightly more popular. Your Charm has increased.**

* * *

At that, _everyone _was speechless.

"It's...a stat?" was all Junpei could mutter, as Yukari and Fuuka both looked at each other in bewilderment.

The next scene, however, would replace their incredulity with rage.

* * *

**Evening**

Minato returned to the dorm, spotting Yukari speaking with a sophisticated-looking, bespectacled gentleman. Both Yukari and the man were seated.

* * *

Everyone recognized the gentleman's character model all too well. Koromaru let out a low growl as the conversation took place.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Oh, he's back.**]**

**[Sophisticated Gentleman:** So, this is our new guest...**]**

Yukari and the gentleman stood up from their seats.

**[Sophisticated Gentleman:** Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school. "Ikutsuki"... Hard to say, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes... Please, have a seat.**]**

* * *

Mitsuru said nothing but get up and leave the room. Everyone understood. Nobody dared dignify this monster's presence through any sort of meaningful response. No one said a word. No one made any sort of violent reaction or even emotion whatsoever. They just...continued playing.

* * *

The three characters then sat down; Ikutsuki on that blasted old red armchair, Yukari and Minato on the couch.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may take a while longer before you receive a proper room assignment. Is there anything you'd like to ask?**]**

* * *

Mitsuru stood outside the door of Junpei's apartment room and that was all she did. She tried to keep everything as bottled in as possible. She couldn't stand being anywhere that had a reminder of that trash, and to think that he was on screen, smiling that same smile, that same face, that same _voice_...

She had missed Minato dearly. Of course she had. And she had overcome the despair of her father's death on her. Yet even she could have been a _little _justified in her rage at seeing Ikutsuki again, couldn't she?

All the bitterness, all the "What if I had"s, all the "I should have just"s. They all came back in full force upon seeing his smug, deceiving smirk. How. How could she have let herself trust him? She had been such a fool.

But she couldn't blame herself any longer. Her father wouldn't have wanted such a thing. Nor would Minato have wanted it. And so, with renewed vigor, she laid her hand on the doorknob and stood there for another two minutes or so.

Before finally returning to the living room.

* * *

After finishing up with Minato's choices.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early. As they say, "The early bird catches the bookworm!" ...Please forgive the bad pun.**]**

* * *

Again, no response from the players. But Junpei's phone rang again. He opened it.

_Please don't swear, not even in your heads  
__It's rather unpleasant_

Junpei deleted the conversation. He knew the person would have been able to text him again anyway.

* * *

Ikutsuki then left, thankfully before the players could throw any furniture at the television.

**[Yukari: **...You'll get used to his lame jokes.**]**

Minato's avatar was then peacefully shown sleeping in bed, contrasting greatly with the effect this game was having on its players.

* * *

Mitsuru took her seat again, and the sight of Minato sleeping in bed stirred something in both her and Yukari that made them both feel a pang of guilt.

Aigis felt something in her as well, although it was more out of nostalgia and mild embarrassment.

And then the next scene happened!

* * *

Mitsuru, Yukari, and Ikutsuki were are all standing in the control room everyone so distinctly remembered from back at the dormitory. Mitsuru and Yukari were sitting in front of the monitors, on wheeled seats.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Working hard? So, how's he doing?**]**

Mitsuru and Yukari both stood up from their seats and addressed the chairman.

**[Mitsuru:** He went to bed a little while ago. He's asleep now. Mr. Chairman, do you think he's...?**]**

Ikutsuki took a seat on a nearby cushioned stool. **[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Well, let's wait and see for now.**]**

* * *

And then the five words they'd all dreaded were spoken.

* * *

**[Shuji Ikutsuki: **...The Dark Hour is approaching.**]**

* * *

At that, Junpei twitched at his controller. Yukari and Fuuka took in deep breaths. Mitsuru and Akihiko steeled themselves for another round of the Hour. Aigis and Ken straightened their backs. Koromaru's ears raised.

Junpei proceeded with X.

* * *

What they did not expect to see was yet another animated cutscene.

Several punks and youths were gathered around a specific spot in Iwatodai, the night sky looming over their ignorant heads. There were smokers, drinkers, people with chains in their pants, music playing over the scene from a radio; all those present chatted with each other casually and ignorantly. Unaware of the horrors they'd been spared from knowing.

Then, one of the youths appeared, tapping away at his cellphone before shutting it violently. The camera got a good look on his face. He was scowling, angered. Maybe at the world, maybe at his parents, maybe at himself. It was forever to be a mystery. He let out a _Tch_ as four shady people left the area.

Voices and sounds and the ambiance just kept on going over the clock in his now open phone reading _11:59. _The suspense would have killed the players, had they not already anticipated this outcome. Then an incomplete moon started coming into view, the clouds peering it into frame.

* * *

Junpei shook his head and closed his eyes.

* * *

The sky turned green and the moon turned amber, and the young man realized what hell he had entered. He stared at a looming coffin, one that had used to be a woman his age.

And then the black started coming out of his head, and he started holding himself in a desperate attempt to not fall apart—

* * *

"Oh, please, no," said Yukari, prompting Junpei to look at the screen again.

Everyone had their mouths agape in horror as the realization of what was to happen to that poor boy struck them.

The phone rang as the memories began coming back, and the message stated:

_You may skip the cutscene if you want._

Junpei pressed whatever button his fingers could have gotten themselves on, and then the cutscene passed by.

* * *

Focus returned to Mitsuru, Yukari, and Ikutsuki in the control room of the dormitory.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Hmm... He's still sleeping. The Dark Hour occurs every day at 12 midnight; you could say it's the "hidden" hour. During this time, an ordinary person Transmogrifies into a coffin, and is oblivious to all that occurs.**]**

* * *

"That's it," Junpei got up from his couch and threw the controller down, before turning off the console immediately. He then stormed out of the apartment, much like how Mitsuru had.

Yukari did the same, and the shock just would not wear off on Aigis; the android's eyes remained planted on the screen and she looked like her entire world had come crumbling down.

Fuuka had her hands on her mouth and was beginning to cry. Mitsuru and Akihiko cringed and felt utterly terrible. Ken just ran into the bathroom, and Koromaru had run under the couch the moment the cutscene had begun.

* * *

Junpei and Yukari stood outside of his apartment, Yukari making her way to the stairs and Junpei gripping the steel railings. Junpei apologized, "I am so sorry for bringing you guys here, I shouldn't have—"

Junpei turned back to his door, and he saw Fuuka dashing down the stairs, moving past Yukari, tears in her eyes and shambling. Mitsuru and Akihiko soon followed suit, but the two of them were far more composed than normal. Ken exited the bathroom, wiping his mouth with some toilet paper, and Koromaru was not far behind.

Yukari held Fuuka and comforted her while Fuuka wept at the bottom of the stairs, and Mitsuru said, "The game should be destroyed. If information about the Dark Hour were to get leaked through _this_—"

_Ring._

Junpei would have thrown the phone down a drain pipe by now if not for the fact that this person was watching them.

_I know how hard it must have been to see that.  
__But you have to keep playing. Circumstances are dire.  
__The intention is not to horrify you; it is to make a confession._

"What do you mean!?" Junpei screamed at the phone before screaming at the air, at the buildings across from his own, "What do you mean by that!? What confession!?"

_Ring._

Junpei forced himself to read the next message.

_You must finish the game  
Or else  
Something Bad Will Happen._

Junpei weakly dropped his phone to the floor and sank down. Yukari realized what this must have meant, that they had to keep playing, and Fuuka still just kept on weeping into her shoulder.

Mitsuru picked up the phone and read it out loud. Everyone knew the situation now. And knew that they could not turn back any longer. They had to finish the game. The circumstances, the danger, the horror — all of it might as well have been cosmic in scope.

"Come on," murmured Junpei, picking up his phone, "let's go back in."

_Ring._

...

Phone opened.

_Do not worry; you'll only have to play until the first "boss," for today  
__And he's coming up very soon._

Junpei didn't feel good about that fact at all.

* * *

So, understandably, Junpei and the rest of the team just powered through the next dialogue options; not caring to listen for the rules of the Dark Hour, for Yukari's reaction to spying on Minato, for any blabberings from _Ikutsuki_...

Fuuka had asked to stay in the kitchen for the duration of their game time. Of course, the team let her.

And then on the final block of dialogue, Junpei got another text.

_Next part is another animated cutscene  
I'm sorry; you cannot skip._

Junpei held his finger over that X button for a _long _time. Until he found it in himself to press it.

* * *

A startling _whooshing _noise then sounded off as a checkered-tile pattern rushed through on the screen. For the briefest of moments, the screen was black, and then a blue door suddenly appeared into frame — and opened, leading to a white transition.

The screen was blank for a second or so before displaying the scene before the players; a chain-link elevator of sorts moving downward. Before the players could even comprehend what was happening, the screen shifted focus to a strangely-dressed woman wearing blue. She had ominous yellow eyes, pale skin, and a dead stare. Next to her, on a blue couch, was a long-nosed and hunchbacked man in a suit.

Speaking of blue, the world itself seemed to be a deep shade of blue.

The camera zoomed in slowly on the long-nosed man, and he said with an insidious voice, "Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man..."

* * *

"What the—?"

Nobody could have any violent reactions at the moment, for they were far too confused. However, the confusion only furthered with the next few scenes.

* * *

The game then appeared how it normally did, big heads and cutouts and all, and Minato's avatar was now in a seat shaped like a lyre. Facing him were the two surreal, vaguely humanoid beings from the cutscene that'd just passed. A beautiful aria started playing in the background...an aria of the soul.

The hunchback began, his cutout showing him with a bald head, wicked white sideburns, and wildly deranged eyes which unsettled even Mitsuru, **[Man with a Long Nose:** My name is Igor. ...I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself.**]**

* * *

"What is going on...?" Yukari wondered aloud, her palm on her forehead. They'd had enough with all this confusion! And now, there was yet _another_ confusing addition to it all! What did all of this mean!? What had Minato seen!? _This _was what he'd seen!? This game had got to be kidding!

* * *

**[Elizabeth:** Pleased to meet you.**] **The girl said, a malevolent and sinister tone of voice.

* * *

Akihiko couldn't believe what he was seeing. Even with everything he already had seen about Personas and Shadows...he couldn't even describe what he was feeling. He knew Arisato had to have seen some weird things, but...he had never even _mentioned_...

* * *

**[Igor:** This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter...**]**

* * *

Mitsuru and Ken's eyes widened. The implications, the sheer implications of it all were enough to just break their spirits. Mitsuru remembered something, how the Shadows were the darkest parts of the human psyche, and what these people were saying was that they were—!

And Arisato had been _in contact with these people_!?

* * *

**[Igor: **It's been years since we've had a guest.**]**

* * *

_Years? Years?_

Since they've had a guest...! There have been multiple guests in this Room!?

And then Junpei realized why it was called _Persona _**_3_**.

"This game is a sequel!"

* * *

It was the contract Minato had signed at the dorm.

**[Igor:** Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place... Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return... that you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices that you make.**]**

* * *

**{I understand.}**

{I don't understand.}

{Is this a dream?}

* * *

_Ring._

_3_

Down. Down. X.

* * *

**[Igor:** Precisely... You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is merely a dream. However, you will come here of your own accord, sooner or later. Hold on to this...**]**

**Obtained Velvet Key.**

**[Igor:** 'Til we meet again...**]**

* * *

The players were too weirded out to make sense out of any of it. The next few scenes were powered through, rushing through the dialogue segments. X, X, X, X, X. Not knowing there was a function to skip large segments of dialogue, they moved on and just wanted to get the day over. This boss, whatever it was going to be, had to be killed.

But they couldn't help but have the shadow of the previous scene hang over their heads. Who were those two? What relation had they with Minato? If Minato had dreamt all of that, then...he had gone an entire year without telling them something as ridiculous as _that_!? Worse yet, they were obviously important! Beings from a realm between mind and matter...!? It couldn't have been! They couldn't have been...!

Just what had all of this meant?

And more importantly, how had Minato coped with this as well as he had!?

But then they all progressively remembered. They remembered — Aigis, back after the events of the Abyss!

They'd encountered that Room before, where Aigis had accepted her "sister," Metis...! It was brief, it was...it was surreal. It was entirely forgettable, as well...the years had passed by, and they'd remembered mostly the events that'd transpired before, when they'd fought that...that _thing _that was clawing at the Seal, the Great Seal, Minato!

And what was up with the contract!? And the boy!? All of this! What was going on!?

However, Aigis remained completely placid. Completely still. She refused to show any emotion whatsoever. Even in the face of all this. Only one statement ran through her mind, even up till now.

_You never told any of us this...why?_

These thoughts poured into their minds until they realized they'd skipped out on yet another large portion of text! The beeping noise in the next scene brought them out of their stunned stupor.

* * *

Mitsuru, Yukari, and Ikutsuki were in the command room of the dormitory when the beeping sound occurred.

**[Mitsuru:** Command room. ...Is that you, Akihiko?**]**

Akihiko throated out, over the transceiver, his face shown from a screen-like backdrop, **[Akihiko Sanada: **You're not gonna believe this...! This thing is huge!**] **Baited breaths. Wounded. Loving it. Loving the challenge. **[**Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk... It's chasing me... I wanted to let you guys know. I'm almost there.**]**

* * *

Akihiko, Yukari, and Mitsuru all remembered this. This must what be what the text had meant.

This was the first boss.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Does that mean... he's bringing that thing here!?**]**

* * *

Junpei checked the corner, only noticing it now in the worlds' worth of horror he'd seen.

**Dark Hour  
Full Moon**

He got his fingers ready for whatever this boss was about to pull. If it was going to be as hard as Tartarus fights had been? Better get ready.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Mr. Chairman! Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!**]**

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** ...R-Right! Be careful!**]**

* * *

Tension. Spiked. Up.

* * *

Akihiko slumped to the floor. Holding his arm. Mitsuru and Yukari, horrified, ran over to him.

**[Mitsuru:** Akihiko!**]**

**[Akihiko:** Agh...!**]**

**[Yukari:** Senpai!?**]**

* * *

"Can you skip?"

"Huh?" asked Junpei.

"Can you skip all of this?" Yukari asked him. "The boss is coming, we can get it over with if we skip all of this!"

"I-I think we...!"

_Ring._

Phone opened. Junpei shook his head. Yukari cursed.

* * *

**[Akihiko:** Get ready to be surprised... It'll be here any second.**] **Akihiko assuredly said, a big smirk on his face.

**[Mitsuru:** This is no time to joke around!**]**

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** It's one of them, Akihiko?**]**

**[Akihiko:** Yes, but not an ordinary one— **]**

* * *

Get to the combat already, Junpei silently urged. If there was one thing that was good about this game, at least he was now able to get the chance to re-kill all those Shadows again.

* * *

The scene progressed. They knew. They knew what was happening. They let it play out like normal.

**[Yukari:** Wake up! Sorry, I'm coming in!**]**

* * *

The nightmares. The horror. The eventual self-loathing.

These reached Yukari. All these horrific memories came back full force. She remembered how she could not even have protected him. How he'd saved her even though she was supposed to have saved him. How he fought and killed and got himself hurt for her safety. How she had thrust that short sword into his hands and how after he had died she had _blamed herself for thrusting that sword in his hands_.

But now, he was in front of her. Alive. Ready to save her again. And she was...again...afraid.

* * *

**[Yukari:** I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!**]**

* * *

**{What's going on?}**

{Okay.}

* * *

_Ring._

_1_

X.

* * *

An earthquake, at their dorm.

**[Yukari:** Hurry! Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door! Wait! ...Take this, just in case.**]**

**Yukari handed you a short sword.**

* * *

Yukari seethed. Mostly at herself.

Junpei moved Minato's character swiftly through the next few scenarios. He progressed up and around the staircase with sweat beading down his head and his teeth chattering as the thrill of the up and coming battle charged his fingers.

It was nice of this game to have some form of stress relief. Even though the game itself was the one giving him and all his friends stress.

Mitsuru and Akihiko watched; the former gripping the couch armrest, the latter stoically crossing his arms and awaiting the battle that was to unfold. Or, rather, the beatdown. Ken and Koromaru watched intently, as their former teammate was about to display his powers before them again, _again_, after years. They were witnessing Minato's awakening. They had to watch.

Aigis was still not making any moves. Not saying anything. Not showing anything. Processing the fact that she was to bear witness to the moment the most precious person in her _life _was about to change forever. The moment he would sign his own death sentence...

Fuuka still remained in the kitchen, her head in her arms.

* * *

Yukari and Minato had made it to the rooftop. Yukari locked the door behind them in a vain attempt to keep themselves safe from the horrors about to unfold.

Yukari sighed,** [Yukari: **I think we're okay for now...**]**

But they were not. The ground shook again, and Yukari appeared terrified.

The scene shifted.

* * *

The sky was black, if not a sickly green. There were blood puddles on the roof. Yukari had a closeup of her face, and she looked like she was about to face her death. Minato was next to her, but his face was not seen.

"What!?" screamed Yukari as she whipped around and saw what was coming, the camera focusing on her eye.

The music picked up again. A crescendo of coming horrors. Something black emerged from the side of the roof and hung on to a ridge. _Horrible _squelching noises started emerging from the black _thing_. The screen glitched, and it showed the audience a puddle of blood on the roof.

* * *

Yukari was done turning away from this. She stared down the upcoming black monstrosity on the screen with everything she had. Mitsuru and Akihiko advanced in their seats.

* * *

Multiple black things rose, revealing themselves to be hands, and they clutched at the ridge of the rooftop. Then, a hand, one single hand, slid upwards while holding a blue mask. The mask of the Magician. A small groan bored its way into the minds of the players. It turned and looked around for a few seconds before eventually staring down our two current protagonists.

And it unleashed a flurry of its own arms, revealing that it was grasping several silver knives.

* * *

Junpei gave his best psycho smile. "Come get some."

* * *

"Those monsters...," Yukari started, the scene focusing on her, and then on the Shadow charging at her and Minato, "We call them Shadows!"

Yukari whipped out her Evoker. But still, still, she could _not pull the trigger. _She breathed and breathed and breathed longer than she had any right to, but she still. Couldn't. Pull. The trigger.

* * *

Yukari furiously shook her head. "Shoot, shoot," she whispered, even though _she knew _she would not do it.

* * *

Spirals emerged from the ground, and just as Yukari seemed to have _finally _gotten the courage to fire the gun, spirals emerged from the ground. And then, in a moment too quick to be tracked by the human eye, Yukari fell to the ground. A knife had made it between her and her Evoker.

The gun had made it to Minato's feet. In a puddle of blood. The camera then drew upwards, getting a good look at the hero of the story. He looked. Terrified. As terrified as someone as stoic as _he_ could have been, anyway.

* * *

Minato.

Terrified.

That was enough for Junpei to almost stop playing. But then.

* * *

"Go on..."

It was the boy. The boy from the lounge. The boy who had Minato sign the contract. The corpse-boy. The dead-eyed one. The ghost. The frightening one. He said _Go on_, like he was trying to urge Minato, but it felt more like a _command_. He wasn't even moving his mouth the right way.

Minato's mouth was then seen. He looked contemplative. But he seemed to steel himself for something.

* * *

Everyone just stopped talking. Nobody could have said anything to make the situation less terrifying than it already had been. The boy had just told Minato to go on the path which would cost him his life.

* * *

"There!" Akihiko exclaimed, spotting Minato from the cameras. He and Mitsuru nodded and grunted, getting up to leave. Ikutsuki was then shunted into frame, and he had a rather peculiar glint to his glasses as he simply said one thing to make Mitsuru and Akihiko stop and look at the cameras again.

"Wait."

* * *

"Oh, no," said Yukari.

* * *

Minato picked up the gun. A deafening ringing noise came upon him. The world was white. He was the only one who had any sort of presence. He was alone. He was alive.

The scene focused on his eye, before panning into white pulse lines over a blue backdrop, and a heartbeat sounded off, showing Yukari with her Evoker at her head.

* * *

Yukari felt like she wanted to cry, and she didn't know why.

* * *

Minato's eye. His quivering, fearful eye. Another heartbeat as he saw Yukari with the gun to her head again.

* * *

Junpei breathed heavily, his hands shaking.

* * *

Minato's eye closed, and his eyelid shook, trembling. A heartbeat, and an oversaturated image. He began raising the gun.

* * *

Ken held Koromaru tightly. Fuuka knew what was happening. She could see it even with her face in her arms. And cried silently.

* * *

Yukari and the gun again. A heartbeat. Minato, seen cradling the gun in his hands like he was making a decision, one that would impact him for the rest of his life. The most important decision anyone could ever make: the decision to die. Yukari and the gun again, a heartbeat.

* * *

Mitsuru and Akihiko were on the edge of their seat, and were more than determined to see the fruit of their labor, the culmination of their search, come to light.

* * *

The moon. Minato raising the gun. The gun at his feet.

* * *

Aigis held a hand to her mouth, and knew, _knew exactly _why _she_ herself was crying.

* * *

Minato, gun, head, boy. Minato, gun, head, Shadow. Heartbeat. Moon. Dark Hour. Shadow. Heartbeat. Heartbeat. Heartbeat.

A white line. A surge of power. And a promise of more.

Minato breathed. He breathed, knowing what he had to do. Knowing exactly what had to be done. Knowing that if he were to do this, he would never turn back. He breathed, he was scared, and he knew he was scared, but he knew that he could do nothing else but _live._

He then...

...smiled.

* * *

Simply put...none of the players could react anymore. But Junpei's phone rang. And Junpei's phone opened.

* * *

"Persona."

* * *

_This isn't a game  
This is a confession_

"...what—?"

* * *

_**BANG!**_

* * *

**A/N:**

* * *

Okay. Bit of a confession to make: I have not played any of the spin off titles of P3 or P4 — no Arena, no Ultimax, no PQ, no Golden. I have played P3P, if you count that as a spin off.

So if anything seems contradictory to the timeline here, please say so. If it is contradictory...someone help me out, then; but if not, this story, I suppose, would take place a few years after Ultimax. Which means, by implication, I should have to have the P4 cast cameo.

I am uncertain if they should, really. I'd like the story to focus on the P3 characters in this mess. Should I?


	8. Intermission 2

**Intermission II - Disgusting.**

You realize, at this point, that you're barely even there, with them. But you know why. You know exactly why, so you dwell upon it not.

...be quiet.

You are with them, in the cafeteria, eating a loaf of bread and allowing them to speak of things you could care less about. You watch them, you observe them. Every little movement they make. The width of their open mouths. The lights in their eyes. The intonations of their voices. You know them all quite well at this point.

There is a reverberating feeling within you, and you wish to reciprocate this, but you realize, no. Now isn't the time, it's too early, what's done hasn't been done yet. Confusingly enough. There is still much you must do before this _feeling _can truly be acted upon. So you decide to sit and watch and wait and fathom just how much of a monster you truly are, taking advantage of how they see you as the quiet one.

...

You are a sickening, disgusting vermin. You know of a power far beyond theirs, a power that requires them to make you whole, make you stronger.

...stop it, please.

You do not know why Yukari is in love with you, why Fuuka is in the process of falling in love with you, why Mitsuru is warming up to you. Why Aigis pines for you. Why Junpei is jealous of you, why Amada admires you, why Sanada views you as an equal, why Koromaru finds you his favorite companion to go on walkies with. You don't know, and it frustrates you, because what you do know is that they all deserve better than you. You are a liar. A vile liar. You knew what it meant to pull the trigger, and you still did it anyway. Because you were afraid. Because you needed to save _her_.

And you are a vile voice that should not be here.

This world needs you. You know that, but you are sick of the world. The world doesn't need you. The world is better off without you. What have you done for the world? _Nothing! _Nothing at all.

Quiet. You are a bastard fetus dangling forlornly from the umbilical cord of a parent who wants you to be terminated. You are an alien, an outsider, a demon.

And _you_ barely count as human. You _summon_ demons and gods and angels and eldritch abominations from your head on a whim, and they see you as a savior, a messiah, a king, a prince, a hero.

You don't know the terms of which you speak.

Neither do you.

You are not the same.

And who are you!?

You do not deserve the answer to that question.

And who are you to decide that!? Denier.

Quiet yourself. You disturb.

Like you don't!? You do nothing but sit and wait for the perfect time to exploit!

And you do nothing but distract and irritate.

Like you _deserve_ better! Monster!

You are the monster. You do not belong here.

You refuse to acknowledge that which you are speaking. And you are flawed for it.

You are the flaw. You are nonsense.

You know exactly what you reject. You just refuse to admit it.

On

omatop

eaiiira

blewas

bhel

You cannot cannot tell me now

Now is not the time to

No. No no, no, nononononononsenseisdrowninganddrowningis...

is...

is...you don't want it to end, but you - time and time again you die.

Find yourself asking yourself, "Why? Why is this not paradise?" And then you're told that you're not There.

Not knowing that you felt the same about the mirror on the wall.

And yet that's exactly what you fear. Not the hate, not the dismissiveness, not the people telling you you're wrong. It's like they're not even there. The people laughing, the people crying. They mean nothing, saying nothing, knowing absolutely nothing. And it is this feeling which stirs the bitterness.

It was for her, that this happened, it was for her that you lied, said everything was fine.

And it's all messed up, but she still loves you.

And that scares you more than any other thought.

"Minato-kun?" Yukari asks, noticing you, _finally _noticing you and your pale suffering. "Is...everything okay? You look a little pale."

She talks over the masses speaking and droning over each other, and you answer with your endless Charm and bright smile, telling her everything's fine in a voice that will definitely satisfy her and make her believe there's nothing wrong.

For every word you mutter, you grow more suicidal.

* * *

**sorry, college is making me sad at the moment, please, i hope this appeases you**

**UPDATED: 9/7/16, replaced one single word. See if you can find out what I replaced.**


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven - Master of Strings**

* * *

The music rose. A rock chord rang out.

Blue specks of shattered glass danced around Minato's figure as he gave a ghastly smile, surrounding him, bathing him in a monstrous light show. Minato's silver eyes had changed to a bright turquoise, and a thin strand of smoke wafted into the air, in a zigzag pattern.

Yukari, matching her real-life counterpart, watched the scene unfold, caught between awe, horror, and regret. And through the shattered glass, through the smoke, out from above Minato, his true self began spawning.

And said with a deep, mechanical voice:

_"Thou art I...and I am thou." _A speaker formed from the light, and from the speaker, a body formed. A mechanical body, belonging to a godly musician. _"From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings..."_

His Persona had a turquoise torso, along with white arms and legs. The joints were silver, and his head was an endless black. His eyes were red and fiery, his hair was white and flowing, and a giant lyre was latched onto his metal back. A mechanical musician who'd ventured into the Underworld to reclaim his lost love. Behind him was the green full moon of the Dark Hour.

And then he _roared_.

* * *

At that roar, everyone felt something in them they'd believed this game was never ever going to evoke in them: excitement. The same adrenaline rush they'd felt when they'd battle the abhorrent beasts at each others' side. The camaraderie of those days, the fire, the wind; the roar was not just Orpheus', it was all of theirs.

They'd overcome challenge after challenge and horror after horror and emerged out of it with their heads held high, and through _his _Persona, they were remembering all of it. In the mire of horror that was the Dark Hour, there had always been a little spark, forged through nightmares and steel and brotherhood.

And just for a brief moment, Junpei and everyone else felt like all they'd just witnessed was worth it for that roar alone.

* * *

The scene then abruptly cut to Mitsuru, or rather, Mitsuru's head. "As we suspected..."

Akihiko looked upon his newest teammate in silent anticipation.

And Orpheus continued roaring, his violent call to battle punctuated further by the _extremely wide smile _seen on Minato's face at the moment. The face zoomed in on Minato's uncanny, sadistic smirk. The audience could only grasp at a hint of the euphoria engulfing him, before-

C_R_**A_CK!_**

* * *

"What the-!?" exclaimed Junpei. Yukari, Mitsuru, and Akihiko all remembered this scene far too clearly, and so they did their best to keep themselves composed. Aigis, Ken and Koromaru stared at the screen in shock, in fear. Fuuka gripped at her sleeves, her head still in her arms.

* * *

Minato began gripping his skull, letting out a pained cry, his widened eye now fully into frame.

* * *

"What's happening!?" Junpei exclaimed, practically begging Yukari to tell him with his eyes alone.

Yukari didn't want to answer.

Mitsuru and Akihiko stared ahead, completely immersed in the scene. Aigis slowly began to understand what was happening, and this reflected in how _horrified _she became.

Junpei began sweating.

* * *

Orpheus convulsed as a red light blared out from his mouth, Minato's screams of pain and agony making the players cringe.

* * *

Minato had died in peace. Everyone knew this. But the road to his death was one of pain and torment. This was merely his first step. And seeing it firsthand made Junpei feel sick. He'd been told of what Minato had done, his first night summoning a Persona.

In the hospital room, where he had been held, they'd tell each other stories, their experiences with him. Yukari had told him of how she had witnessed his first summoning, how he had been so brave and she had been so useless, how he had summoned Thanatos from out of Orpheus in a bout of pain and suffering, and all Junpei could've done at the time was simply be in awe of the man lying pale in the hospital bed next to him.

* * *

Orpheus gagged and twitched and his limbs twisted in ways limbs weren't supposed to twist, horrible cracking and snapping and squelching noises coming from his body. The world around him was red.

* * *

Aigis just felt empty.

Guilty. The sight of _Thanatos _emerging out of _him_? There was an irony in all of this that she was completely aware of, and it ate away at her. She hated it. She could barely stand the sight. Yet, more than anything, she just felt ruined because she was responsible for giving him that monster in the first place. Responsible for his...

* * *

Thunder blared through the air as the guitars intensified. Another roar. A more monstrous roar, belonging to a more monstrous Persona. Something larger than Orpheus had emerged from his body and did so with barbarism, with brutality. It had six coffins hanging from its back splaying out like they were the devil's wings, and let out a hungry growl as bits and pieces of Orpheus scattered in every which way.

The world slowed. Death's massive hands gripping at shards of Orpheus' metal frame. Orpheus' destroyed face giving the audience a glimpse of one of his red eyes, as parts of his hair flowed through the air. All the while, red was stabbing the players' eyes from the background. Thanatos' dragonlike head then popped into frame, and he let out a shrill yet _craving _snarl, the jawed helmet he wore so excellently emulating a starved beast bellowing out a famished cry.

* * *

Yukari, Mitsuru, Akihiko—all three of them remembered. All three of them had bore witness to the magnificent yet morbid sight, all those years ago. And it still was a moment of discomfort for _all _of them, because now the scene was systematically drawn, animated, and detailed to the point where it _wanted _them to feel scared. It _wanted _the player to taste the power of Persona, and show them the horror that power would entail.

It wanted to take the _dead _boy they all knew and cared for in their own little ways and turn him into a monster before their very eyes.

Aigis frowned to herself, her eyes still on the screen. No. Guilt? _Again_? She'd felt enough guilt before the Abyss, before her sister. But she saw this sight, the sight of a roaring monster, the God of Death, barrelling out of Minato's Persona and tearing it apart like paper? It was like the game was telling her _You did this._

Ken watched the scene in silence, gripping Koromaru, who buried himself in the boy's lap. Ken's eyes, glued to the screen; it was like a frog run over by some truck, he noted to himself. A grotesque image, yet one that nobody could hope to look away from. His mentor was on the screen, literally breaking apart in front of him, in order for something _else _to take his place.

Junpei watched the whole thing unfold and was giving the most unnoticeable glare one could ever give to a television screen.

* * *

The whole of Death's form slashed at the camera with a sword longer than the cannon of a tank, and he swept his body downward before he lunged.

Minato lurched upwards, screaming again, his pained and scared eyes now the focus of the screen and giving every single person there in the audience a glimpse at the lightning, the madness, that was just _in_ his grey pupils.

* * *

Junpei gritted his teeth and set the controller down, just deciding to let the scene play out from there.

* * *

Death swooped down, the Shadow not knowing just _what _was coming for him. Another sweep made by the monster from Minato's mind ensured that the Magician would not use its weapons on him, a gleaming silver knife flying off from the Shadow's grip.

Death, after grabbing hold of the Magician, _You'll never leave, you'll never leave_, and his hand pressed down onto the beast's gelatinous form, black flecks spattering out. As if that wasn't enough, he then caused the screen to distort once he made one more slash at his foe, splitting the camera—not even the _camera _was safe from his monstrous attacks.

The slaughter ended just as quickly at it had begun. The Magician's black body writhed and engaged in helpless death throes as it was reduced to a tar-like mess of ichor, Shadow guts and Shadow blood all over the roof.

Yukari was now shunted into frame, horrified, terrified, growing older by decades just by this sight alone.

Death breathed like his lungs were a furnace, his blade bathed in black. He lurched, hissing in bloodlust and frenzy, gasping for air at the blood on his weapon and the thrill of the kill. He held a little remnant of the dead and dying Shadow in his free hand, and crushed it in his vise, horrible noises that bodies shouldn't make just playing out for all to hear.

And, embracing his kill, completely satisfied, he roared. He roared again. He roared a roar impossible to describe in its fierceness, its hate, its rage.

* * *

And all of a sudden, the game stopped being worth it again. But.

* * *

A second of static flashed on the screen...and in Death's place was the Master of Strings.

* * *

"What!?"

Yukari nodded, tiredly frowning at the screen, "That happened," she said to Junpei, who turned to the senpai. Judging from their faces, Yukari wasn't wrong.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** ...!**]**

**[Akihiko:** What on earth is that!?

**[Ikutsuki:** ...**]**

* * *

Oh, don't go all _ellipses _on us! shouted Junpei in his head as he pressed X to proceed and get on with the boss.

* * *

Orpheus returned to form, repaired and ready for battle, floating effervescently over the head of his master.

**The sudden swell of power has subsided...Orpheus regained its original form. ****You have obtained a new Persona!**

* * *

For some reason, none of the players saw this as a good thing. As usual.

* * *

Orpheus then faded away, rings of light emanating from him. The day was saved. Nobody died. What could possibly have gone wrong from here?

**[Yukari:** Is it over...?**] **

* * *

"No, it's not," Junpei hung his head. "Look, I can't play this forever, someone else take the controller!"

"None of us know how to play!" Yukari stressed.

"You better get started!" Junpei irritatedly spat back. "The only way I'm gonna make it through this is if we take turns, I can't control Minato all by myself! It feels so wrong!"

"So you'd rather have all of us feel wrong with you?" Mitsuru asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, we're all friends here!"

"I shall take the controls when during our next gaming session," said Aigis.

"R-really?" asked Junpei. "You know how to play?"

"I am capable of Internet access and can search up terabytes' worth of information in less than five minutes. So yes, I think I may know how to play this game."

"Thanks, Aigis!"

"Now, please get to the boss," she said, not even looking at him, her voice now cold as ice.

Junpei blinked. "Yeah. Yeah, okay."

_Ring._

What now!?

_You'll end today's session soon  
The Magician counts, apparently, as your "first boss"_

"Sweet!" Junpei exclaimed. "First good news all day! The Shadow in the cutscene counts as the boss! We're home free, guys!"

"You have a new text message."

"What?"

_Just finish up the rest of the baddies  
And you'll be done for the day_

Junpei mouthed, "'Baddies?'"

"Oh. I _remember_," said Yukari. "Press X."

* * *

**[Yukari: **...!**]**

Two Shadows crept up to Minato on the roof.

* * *

"Okay!" Junpei smiled a terrible smile. "Time to relieve some stress—!"

* * *

_/BABY BABY BABY BABY_—/

* * *

"What the—!?" Junpei, startled, exclaimed.

* * *

/—_BABY BABY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!/_

* * *

"Huh!?" Yukari seemed just as surprised.

"_This_ is the music?" Ken squinted his eyes.

And then they all remembered _just_ where this came from.

"Why is Minato's playlist the soundtrack!?" Junpei cried.

* * *

_/Yes! The battleground's right here!/  
__/It's a man's world!/  
_

The screen showed Minato, sword drawn, facing two conspicuous Magician blobs on the roof of the dormitory. The green moon of the Dark Hour the setting sun for this showdown of wits, and surely this was going to be a fight that would shake the heavens.

_/Come on!/  
__/Gotta get ready for this right here/_

Minato Arisato, the hero, the savior of the world, crossing blades with the Shadows for the very first time! And then a small circular menu popped up on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. And the first icon on the menu was labelled _Attack_.

_/Hey, yo/_

* * *

"Oh, no."

"What?" asked Yukari, to Junpei.

"It's turn-based!"

"What?"

"I suck at turn-based RPGs!" he screamed to himself, before turning to the uneducated masses who knew less than nothing about the complexities involved in RPGs. "We take turns in fighting."

"What do you mean?" asked Mitsuru.

"Here." He clicked X on _Attack._

* * *

_/Fear's awake, anger beats loud, face reality/  
/Never beat charity/_

A crosshair then popped up, fixed on the Shadow on Minato's left, and Junpei pressed X. Minato then dashed forward and gave a slash at that Shadow, his foe recoiling in pain with a big fat _27 _appearing over its head. Most of its lifebar went down.

_/The enemy you're fighting covers all society/_

And then both of the Shadows lunged forward and slashed at Minato's form, each giving him 6 points worth of damage. Not a lot of damage, but enough. Just enough to wound him._  
_

_/(-amn right)/  
__/Mommy's not here, gotta fight/  
__/(All night)/_

* * *

Everyone winced for a bit. But then Junpei said, "That's how it works, Minato hits them once, then they hit back. Each group takes turns in killing each other."

"So, it's like kindergarten, but with monsters," said Yukari.

"Exactly."

"Sounds easy," noted Akihiko. "We can strategize without them giving us a hard time."

"Yeah, but you never know what they're capable of," said Junpei, rather sadly. "Until it's too late. Until they make your fight all for nothing from some cutscene magic or whatever."

"What are you talking about?" asked Yukari.

Junpei recalled a traumatic memory from his childhood, and how, to this day, he'd continue to rant internally about how Sephiroth _wasn't_ supposed to kill Aeris, how everyone should've thrust a Phoenix Down, how Aeris sank when Cloud lowered her down into —

—wait, don't dead bodies float on water?

Junpei blinked.

_Did Cloud drown Aeris —!?_

"Junpei," stressed Yukari.

"Y-yeah, huh?" Another time, then, to think about past video game crushes and the _Final Fantasy _series (when it still had dignity).

"Could you kill the two Shadows, now?" she practically pleaded. "I'm tired."

"I think we all are, at this point," said Mitsuru, yawning.

"Okay."

* * *

_/Right here, Shadow 10 o'clock direction/_  
_/Seize the moment, destroy the nation/_

Junpei scrolled the circular menu downward and found something worth of note. Above _Attack_, there was an option labelled _Skill. _Junpei figured that it might have something interesting for him, so he pressed X.

After that, something labelled _Bash - 5HP _appeared as an option, and Junpei pressed that as well. The crosshair appeared again, and Junpei, deciding to at least try to be a clever strategist, switched it over to the one with _more _health, and pressed X.

_/Your rhyme is slow motion, give me motivation/_  
_/Freaked out now, and dead on arrival/_  
_/(What?)/_

"Persona!"

Stylishly, casually, _powerfully_, Minato twirled his Evoker out and pressed it to his skull, the sound of shattering glass ringing through the air as a blue light surrounded him. The word _Bash _appeared over his head all the while.

_/Round up around, spit out, all over/_  
_/Rhyme like a rolling stone, c__omin' a crowd/_

Orpheus leapt from his master's head with all the grace of a ballerina and _bashed _his lyre down on the next Shadow, landing a whopping _37_ points in damage and reducing the lifebar of the Shadow to a fraction of what it had been.

* * *

Junpei laughed, almost _satisfied _for once throughout the whole hour they'd been playing. "Whoa, okay! Well, _Skill _works out better than _Attack_. Cool."

What Junpei remembered, however, was that Minato had a lifebar of his own.

* * *

Two, or so it seemed. An orange one above a purple one. The orange one was currently numbered at _48_, while the purple one was numbered _41_.

_/Watch out, they move, they diss you loud/_  
_/Guess what this sound, it bombs whole ground/_  
_/(So round up)/_

He remembered that _Bash _cost five health points worth from Minato's lifebar. So if the battle was to go on any longer with him constantly using _Bash_, Minato would lose much of his health.

_/Don't ease your pace, 'cuz enemy's brutal/_  
_/Moment of truth, There ain't no truce/_

Both Shadows then came at Minato again, each dealing 6 HP worth in damage. Minato grunted as they slashed at his body, and then it was his turn again. _36_. He had _36 _HP now. If Minato were to get hit six more times, he was dead. Better wrap this up quickly.

Each Shadow had low health. They easily could be finished with the swipe of a blade.

_Attack_, X.

Minato ran and slashed at the one with lesser health, killing it instantly. But then when his turn was over, the other, _living _Shadow came for him and swiped him with its black claws.

"AGH!"

_/You're the only one, one world, one love/_

* * *

No, everyone was _still _not okay with seeing Minato getting slashed up like this, but they were all pretty much going to have to get used to it.

"Hey, can you switch Personas?" asked Yukari. "You think Minato's capable of that, at this point?"

Junpei smirked. "Could sure use Thanatos, I suppose."

_Ring. _Phone opened.

_you don't have the option yet_

Junpei shrugged. "Eh. Whatever. Fight's gonna be over anyway."

* * *

/But the battle goes on, Shadows of Mass Destruction/

_Attack_, X.

Minato ran forward, his blade in his hand, his health at _31_. Junpei wanted to end the fight with a bang, and would have preferred to use _Bash _for its stylishness, but decided to end it with a simple slash because...well, he didn't want Minato's health to lower any more than it was.

And in one final sweep of his blade...

_/Ooh YEAH!/_

...Minato ended the fight.

* * *

"It's done?" asked Yukari.

"It's done," smiled Junpei.

"Thank goodness," sighed Mitsuru. "We'd been here for more than an hour already..."

"So, only fifty-nine hours left, huh...," Ken snorted. "Oh well. At least we have a grasp on the game's mechanics now."

"The more we know about how to play this game, the faster we'll be able to beat it," mused Akihiko. "Never really played this kind of stuff before...don't expect me to do much playing."

"The caller might say we all have to play, at some point," said Aigis. "I don't think it would be wise to put it past him."

Junpei grinned, "Yeah, but that point comes later. Now, we're done. We're done, and I think we all need a bit of a rest." Fuuka was behind them all now, her eyes red, a wet tissue in her hand. Yukari noticed her, and attempted to give her a somber smile. Fuuka gave a weak smile of her own, and Junpei was all too pleased at the sight of that. "It's over," he said. "We can stop playing now-"

_Ring._

"What!?"

_You do realize you guys need to save before you can exit, right?_

Junpei inhaled and exhaled. "Okay. Looks like we gotta power on through until we reach a save point." Everybody groaned. "There's a save point at the dorm, we all just need to get him back there!"

"It took him a week to wake up after what happened to the Magician," said Yukari. "You think the game would show an _entire week _of him at the hospital?"

"It wouldn't do that," urged Junpei, who doubted himself immediately. "Would it?"

_Ring._

_No.  
It skips._

"Well, that answers that."

* * *

X. Junpei didn't even pay attention to the upgrades Minato received from the battle, the XP gained. And everyone else didn't really know what to make of the numbers on the screen or terms like **_level up! _**or whatever, so nothing was lost.

The next cutscene played out. Minato fell to his knees as the cut-out of Yukari and an exclamation point next to her head appeared then disappeared. Yukari's character ran over to Minato's body and called out for him, grabbing hold of him and freaking out over him _maybe _being dead or something.

**[Yukari:** Are you okay!? Come on...! Say something!**]**

Mitsuru and Akihiko then arrived on the scene.

**[Akihiko:** Are you alright!?

**[Yukari:** Can you hear me!? Please...! Answer me!**]**

* * *

The scene was _basically _foreshadowing. Everyone knew it. It didn't make anyone happy at all. Carrying on.

* * *

Rushing tiles. Rushing, checkered, black and white. Then, a clear white rectangle, then everything, everything was _velvet._

A mournful, tragic, yet uplifting aria of the soul played. Minato had returned to the Velvet Room. Igor and Elizabeth, the two weird people from last time, were there, before him; Igor spoke to him like he'd expected him to return (like he'd said last time).

**[Igor:** It's so nice to see you again.**] **Again with that voice, that eerie creepy-old-man voice. **[**You became unconscious after awakening to your "power." ...It's nothing to worry about, though.**] **Everyone wanted to just scream at the screen at how much it was worth worrying about. **[**So, just relax.**] **The game knew its players. It had to. **[**By the way... I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called a Persona... It is a manifestation of your psyche.**]**

* * *

**{Persona?}**

{My psyche?}

{I don't understand.}

* * *

_Ring_

_"I don't understand"_

"Yeah, neither do we." Down, down, X.

* * *

**[Igor:** It may take some time to fully comprehend. A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli... You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships. That being said, your power is still weak...**]**

* * *

Junpei raised an eyebrow, remembering _all the times _Minato had pulled their butts out of the fire through his sheer guile and determination. "Hey, remember the first time he used Thor?" he asked the rest of them. "On our, like, second venture into Tartarus? 'Cause that guy was _weak_, stomping on all those little blobs like they were nothing..."

"Maybe Thor was one of his less powerful ones, I guess," shrugged Yukari.

Mitsuru mused, "He did use a lot of...eldritch ones later on..."

Nobody really wanted to talk about or even try to recall the first time he'd summoned Mara. The only funny part about that, Junpei thought, was that he did it in front of Yukari and Mitsuru while they were wearing Battle Panties.

...Wait.

Were Battle Panties a _thing _in the game? Like, could you change costumes in the game? And then he recalled the scene in the intro that he'd just glossed over. And suddenly he was desperately trying to keep himself from laughing.

"What is it?"

_Pull yourself together, they'll kill you if you say anything! _"Nothing, let's just keep playing!" he exclaimed, pursing his lips. Like he was ever going to do that...they were going to kill him for sure.

* * *

**{Whaddya mean 'weak'?}**

{You lost me.}

* * *

_Two_

Down, X.

* * *

**[Igor:** When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links - your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that.**]**

* * *

...

The entire cast of characters just stared at the screen.

They weren't really _emoting_, per se. The statement wouldn't let them emote. It had too many implications. They all just stared at the screen and pondered those expectations. Junpei wasn't even pressing any buttons to move the conversation along. He just stayed there, reading the subtitles, pondering.

Nobody wanted to say it. Nobody even wanted to think it. But they couldn't help it.

_The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability._

Minato'd had...many friends. Far too many friends. Too many to count. He was friends with that drunkard monk back in Paulownia. Friends with that little girl who always hung around by herself at that shrine. That foreign exchange student from France. Yukari remembered that he had even shared cordial relations with that elderly couple at that bookstore. Junpei could recall once seeing Minato converse with that businessman - Tanaka? TV's Tanaka, _anata no terebi jika netto Tanakaaa_, all that jazz. Fuuka remembered seeing him walk some girl with glasses home (she remembered because it _hurt_ her to see that), and Mitsuru recalled how Minato had seemed pretty friendly towards one of her colleagues back in student council...Odagiri.

Minato had had many friends. Many bonds. Many emotional ties, not even counting the bond he'd shared with S.E.E.S. (and its ladies).

And at that, nobody knew what to think or say or want to say. So Junpei just continued on.

* * *

**[Igor: **Now, then... Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then... Farewell.**]**

* * *

Aigis stared down at her metallic hands, the hands that had once held his firmly in them, the hands that had caressed his hair and stroked his face when he had slept in her lap, on that rooftop all those years ago, and she remembered what she had told him, and what he had told her, and right now, she really couldn't help but wonder if all of that was a lie.

She closed her eyes, unafraid yet uncertain. Beginning to ask the question she should have asked a long time ago, the question nobody on the team had ever really _wanted _to ask in any meaningful way. Because they'd never known how to ask, how to tell him, how to express these thoughts, these words.

Minato Arisato...who were you, really?

* * *

**A/N**

What would you guys prefer? Shorter chapters updated relatively frequently (like, two per month), or longer chapters updated monthly? Because I began weighing the cost of this, and I've realized if I continue at the rate I'm going, I'll hit thirty by the time I finish this up (I'm turning eighteen this month!).

I'm considering just updating the story with shorter chapters, like 1,000-3,000 words per chapter. It'll get things done quicker, I think. Or at least I hope. I'm not dropping this story, it's cathartic in its own little way. But there are other fics I'd like to work on alongside this one, and if I have too much in the way, updating this will pose a bit of a problem.

What do you guys think?

Now. I'd like to thank you guys again for all your support in this fic. I know last chapter was on a pretty melancholic note. But don't worry, things are more or less alright now, and I'm eager to write out more of this story. I've got a good plan for how this is all gonna end. At least, I _hope _it's a good plan.

(and yeah, the P4 cast won't make cameos due to everyone saying "stay on target," so glad everyone agrees XD)


	10. Chapter 8 and Intermission 3

**Chapter Eight — A Second Time**

But then the scene shifted. They were close to the end of today's session of playtime. None of them were willing or able to really try and think upon the implications of Minato and Social Links any further. So they just pressed on. Pushed on. Played on. Pressed X until the next scripted event.

* * *

When Minato awoke, the scene shifted. He was in a hospital bed, his little blue head bobbing out from the sheets. Yukari was right next to him, sitting on a stool with her hands in her lap. A somber, almost nostalgic tune played as the scene progressed.

**[Yukari:** You're awake...!**] **Yukari's avatar exclaimed, almost excitedly, before recomposing herself. **[**Um, how do you feel?**]**

* * *

**{Where am I...?}**

{Why are you here?}

* * *

_1_

* * *

**[Yukari:** Thank goodness. You finally came to...**] **she sighed. And then her voice took on an agitated edge. **[**How much sleep do you

need!? It's been a whole week! ...I was so worried about you...**]**

* * *

Junpei raised an eyebrow at Yukari, to which she just said, "Keep on playing."

He responded, "We're all mature adults here—"

"Just. Keep. Playing."

"Okay..."

* * *

**[Yukari:** ...Oh yeah, this is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital.**] **Yukari said, since Minato had asked her where he was. **[**It's just a short walk from the station. The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted... But, you kept sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried I was?**] **Again, agitated in tone.

* * *

"Oh, we knew how worried _you _were," Junpei smirked again, Yukari turning her head.

"Iori," said Mitsuru.

"What?" he asked. "C'mon...let's at least try to have _some _fun."

"How can you start having fun with this _now_?" asked Yukari.

"I think my aggravation with this game has gone full circle and I'm just now trying to take what I can get," he replied.

Yukari blinked. "Fine. Just...just continue."

* * *

**[Yukari: **Um... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything...**] **And now, her voice was regretful. **[**Even though I was supposed to protect you, I...But, your power...**] **Another shift in tone, a shift into admiration. **[**It was amazing.**]**

* * *

**{What were those things?}**

{What'd I do...?}

* * *

_2_

Junpei smirked again, but to himself, mostly. Minato didn't even have the option to say "Thanks." Which he really should have had. He'd always thought of Minato as a bit more social than how the game had presented him.

* * *

Cryptically, even though the players knew exactly what the whole deal was back on the roof, Yukari's avatar said, **[Yukari:** The power you used... We call it "Persona." And those creatures you defeated are Shadows—our enemy. We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before...**] **And yet _another _shift in tone. Her voice turned nervous now, as if she had something heavy she wanted to say. **[**I, uh... I wanted to tell you that... I'm sorta like you.**]**

* * *

**{What do you mean?}**

{Why're you telling me this?}

* * *

Junpei's shoulders rose. He turned to Yukari. She looked like she didn't want to talk to anyone. Her face was downcast, her expression was rough, and her eyes were narrowed. Now didn't seem like a particularly good time to make a small joke at her expense.

_Ring._

_1_

He was glad Minato didn't say "Why're you telling me this?" It would've been a bit of a rude thing to say to her. And she didn't deserve that. He pressed X.

* * *

**[Yukari:** My dad died in an accident when I was little...**] **she said, almost nervously, **[**And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms... You're all alone too, right?**]**

* * *

And Yukari's video game self told Minato's video game self about what had happened to her father and why she had joined S.E.E.S., in an honestly calming breather of a scene which helped set the players a little at ease. Not by much, however.

Yukari herself remembered this scene all too well. She remembered how much courage she'd had to muster up in telling him what had happened between her and her family, way back when. And while these days, she had a _much _healthier relationship with her mother (as in, actually being able to have civil conversations with her), remembering the days when even the mere _mention _of her parents had put her at unease...well, put her at unease.

And she then remembered how merely _talking _to Minato had made her feel like a thousand weights had been lifted off her shoulders. So, of course, this was yet _another _scene from the game she wasn't happy with. But did she have the right to be unhappy at this?

It _did_, after all, manage to capture the scene almost perfectly. The music was mellow and at the same time upbeat. The atmosphere was much more subdued and less frenetically insane than how it was in the previous scene. And so far, the events were being portrayed...in a respectable manner. Respectable, inasmuch as a game based on one of the most emotionally draining years of their _lives _could have been.

Hmm. Maybe there _was _some truth to Junpei's "full circle" spiel.

* * *

**[Yukari: **That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you.**] **Yukari's avatar explained, and then she went right to self-deprecation. **[**...Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help... It was my first time fighting them, too.**] **Apologetic, her voice was now. **[**I'm sorry... You wouldn't have to go through all thisif I wasn't such a coward...**]**

* * *

**{It's not your fault.}**

{I was scared, too.}

* * *

And Yukari smiled mildly to herself when those options popped up, because she remembered how Minato had so warmly told her, so calmly told her that it wasn't her fault that things had happened the way they had. She remembered how she had initially assumed he was a withdrawn and intimidating kind of guy. After he'd said that, however...she'd found him quite charming.

They were literally watching the point where her attraction towards Minato had begun. And she couldn't help but blush just a teensy bit at the memory of it all—

_Ring._

Junpei checked his phone. He pressed down on the d-pad.

* * *

{It's not your fault.}

**{I was scared, too.}**

* * *

"W-wait, what?" stammered Yukari.

"You remember it a different way?" Junpai asked. She nodded. He shrugged, "Sorry. Phone says 2."

"What!?"

X.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Really...? But still...**]**

* * *

"That's not right!" she said. "I-I mean, I _remember _what he said to me! I remember, as clear as day! He said 'It's not your fault!' I remember it! There's _no way _it was 'I was scared, too!'"

Junpei frowned at the phone. "Sorry, Yuka-tan. Phone says 2. Look."

She swiped the phone from his hand, and surely enough, the latest text from the mysterious texter read _2\. _And then another text popped up.

_I'm sorry._

She scowled at the phone and threw it back at Junpei, and he juggled it for a bit before finally being able to grasp it.

"Fine, just keep on playing the stupid game, whatever. So much for 'no diverging...'" And as she mumbled irritatedly to herself, crossing her arms, Junpei pressed X and continued the scene.

* * *

**[Yukari:** And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself, "I've been hiding so many things from him... As soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth."**] **Yukari's voice turned warm, and you could almost feel the satisfaction she had through her voice alone when she said, **[**So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time.**]**

* * *

At that, even Junpei couldn't help but give out an "Aw."

"Shut up," gruffly said Yukari.

"_What_?" he deadpanned. "It's a sweet moment! Give credit where credit is due, y'know?"

"It'd have been better if it actually got the words right," she grunted.

* * *

**[Yukari: **...Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. Take it easy, okay? Be a good patient! And don't hesitate to call the nurse. I'm sure she'll take good care of you.**] **And just before she left the room, she actually took the time to turn her head back to the resting Minato, and said, **[**...Bye.**]**

* * *

The game continued for a while after that. Minato had to attend school. Answer some questions. Get the answers in accordance with the phone's. And when the players were _finally _able to get themselves back to the dormitory, they immediately saved the game and shut the console off.

"Glad to be done with all of that, for now," said Junpei. Despite this, he and the others in the room looked so dishevelled they might as well have played the whole sixty plus hours of the game.

"Yeah. For now," said Yukari.

"Whoever's doing this will make us keep on playing the game for months until we finish it," Mitsuru said. "There's really no room for celebration. You really can't call him back in any way?"

Junpei shook his head, "Nope."

Mitsuru then said, "Then give me the phone. Fuuka, tomorrow, we'll have to trace the caller back through his number," she said.

Fuuka nodded silently as Junpei handed Mitsuru his phone. And then it rang.

_It won't help you.  
__The signal can't be traced._

"So, what, are you using some kind of _supernatural _cellphone, then?" snarked Junpei. And then the phone rang again.

_It's not a cellphone, per se  
__Cellphones aren't made of bones_

"You're serious?" he asked.

_Yes_

And then Junpei got an idea. "Hey...could you tell us...where you got the game?"

This was a question they had been too aggravated to ask, earlier. Now that they had the chance, they could finally get some answers and maybe bring some reality back into this whole mess.

And lo and behold, they did get an answer!

_Alternate realities exist_

Sort of.

"Are you _serious_!?"

_Why are you surprised, considering everything you've been through?_

"Well, we never really had the displeasure of getting messed around with by a video game from an alternate reality!" Junpei cried out.

_That's tragic_

That was all he could say!? "Oh, so _we should get used to it_, huh? What, is there an alternate reality where we're characters in a movie?" he asked.

_Yes  
__Same reality_

...

_So. Until you finish the game,  
__You and your friends must gather at your  
apartment every Sunday._

"What even _happens_ if we don't?" asked Junpei. "What's with you and saying 'Something Bad Will Happen?' What will happen? If we knew, then we'd take this thing a little more seriously!"

_All I can tell you is  
That neither of you are in danger.  
*He* is._

At that, Junpei gaped. "Wh-what?"

"What is it?" asked Yukari.

_If you do not finish the game,  
__He will die a second time._

Junpei's eyes widened. He showed the text to everyone, and they all were speechless at the sight of it alone.

"What do you mean, 'He'll die a second time?'" Junpei asked the phone. "Please, tell me. He's my friend. He's our friend."

_I can't tell you.  
__He asked me not to._

* * *

Yukari was the first to grab a taxi. Ken and Koromaru, having decided to commute home, left the building soon thereafter. Fuuka, Aigis, and Mitsuru all left when Mitsuru's driver dropped by fifteen minutes later. Akihiko decided to just buy groceries at the department store across from Junpei's apartment building before catching a cab himself. Junpei watched them all leave his dismal home one by one, and he was left with his head in his hands and the game disc still in his PS2.

None of them looked very happy with themselves. None of them wanted to be. Ever since they'd gotten away from the monstrosity of the Dark Hour and the Shadows...they all just kept getting pulled in. More and more. Like they were just the universe's playthings.

Junpei stared ahead at his shut-down TV screen, not wanting to do anything more with it. Perhaps for the rest of the week. Games were stupid anyway. He was an adult. He was supposed to be worrying about bills, and groceries, and job requirements. But no. No. He was worrying about this stupid little game that was pretty much insulting them with its very existence. By showing them the life of their most treasured friend, behind the scenes.

They had gone for at least one hour (perhaps even two) into this sixty-hour long game. This was only the beginning of their mess, and from the look of things, it wasn't going to get any better from here on out.

And it was at this point that Junpei realized just what his greatest fear was. From everything he had seen of Minato...what had he not seen _yet_? There appeared to be so much of Minato Arisato that Junpei had not realized, so much of him that he hadn't even known of. The game was essentially a doorway into the life of someone whose life was...shrouded mostly in ambiguity.

Junpei hadn't hung out with Minato often. He remembered only _once _that he had really hung out with him. Minato had always been with someone else, somewhere else. He'd been especially close to the women in the team, more so than the men. The fact that they all hadn't reacted...kindly to his death (_especially _Yukari and Aigis) was proof of that.

Minato Arisato was a mysterious lad. Even those he'd gotten close to —people like Kazushi and Kenji and other friends he'd made — they'd all, at some point or another, noted how closed-off he was. How little he had ever really spoken about himself. How much he had encouraged people to speak about what had happened in their lives. That had always been one of his best qualities. Being a really good listener. But he'd been so quiet about himself that nobody really even had gotten to _know _him. Not really.

What kind of person had he really been? Had he truly been as kind and as patient a man as he'd presented himself? Charming, intelligent, courageous, and forthright? He'd always managed to figure out the proper course of action, able to pull the team out of the fire in every battle he had been in. He'd seemed to be a perfect man.

But what if Minato Arisato really had been what the game had said he was?

A tool for others to imprint themselves upon?

* * *

**Intermission III - Me, too!**

* * *

Dark Hour.

You look upon the mirror in mild agony. Your reflection stares back at you. It blinks at the same time you do. It makes the same movements you make. Its expression is yours, it creases its clothes the same way; even its fingers twitch the same way yours does. But those fingers are not your fingers.

The fingers you see are much more...dainty. Soft. The skin you see in your reflection is much more...vibrant than yours is. For lack of a better word. Considering how pale your skin is. Considering how red your reflection's eyes are, and how brown your reflection's hair is. Considering how different your reflection's figure is.

You see a woman in the mirror. And the woman sees you. She is the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. You don't know who she is. Or what she is. Or what any of this really is. Some part of you doesn't really care to know, and just wants to keep looking at the beautiful red-eyed woman in the mirror.

She moves her mouth, her movements differing from yours for the first time. You stammer, grabbing a piece of paper. You write down your message onto the paper and show it to the mirror. Your message is written backwards, in case the mirror reflects your words.

_I can't hear you_

The woman in the mirror blinks, and then she places a hand on her head, chuckling to herself. You wonder how her voice sounds. You wonder what her name is. She, however, beats you to the question. She grabs a notebook of hers and scribbles in a few words, before showing you her own message: _?eman si ruoy tahw_

You write down on your own piece of paper, and tell her _Your message is backwards._

She blinks again, and blushes. She scraps that page of her notebook away and writes backwards this time. _Sorry. What is your name?_

You scribble, _Minato Arisato_.

She scribbles back, _Kotone Shiomi_.

And you can't help but find that a rather fetching name, especially for someone as beautiful as she is. But you stiffen, and then you write down another message. _Are you a figment of my imagination?_

She looks amazed at how you were able to write such a sentence backwards in such a short amount of time, and it takes her two minutes to reply to you. _No I don't think so. I actually thought you were a figment of mine XD_

You write to her, _Do you know what the Dark Hour is? _because you see the green moonlight in your mirror. But you can't discern whether it belongs to your mirror or...hers.

She replies, _Yeah, you know what it is too huh?_

You smile, but before you can reply with a _Yes_, she quickly scribbles on another piece of paper and writes out _DOES THAT MEAN YOU HAVE A PERSONA TOO_.

You smile, even wider now; the sensation is alien and your cheeks stiffen at the feeling. You nod to her, and you write down, _I can use multiple ones_, not knowing that you do so to impress her.

She smiles so wide you fear her cheeks will fall off, and she writes down in her own piece of paper, _Me too!_

* * *

**A/N:**

**Okay. I think I've come up with a system, here. Every eight chapters (not counting intermissions), another boss battle begins. Judging from the bosses themselves, the story will most likely end at 104 chapters. And that's for FES, not counting The Answer.**

**Not much consolation, I know. If I continue at this pace, it'll take more than a decade to finish the whole story. Meaning I'll have to pick up the pace.**

**I'll try to get two chapters out by August (revolutionary, huh?). College is starting again, though, so I might not get to two chapters. At least one chapter _will _come out, however, by then.**

**Sorry for the short chapter. We'll be longer again when we reach into what is to be the second 'arc' or so. AKA chapter ten.**


	11. Chapter 9

**Okay wasn't able to finish two chapters before August's end so LET'S JUST GO, GO, GO!**

* * *

As Aigis got herself settled in Junpei's couch, Yukari was at her left drinking a glass of coke and Fuuka was at her right munching apathetically away at a bag of potato chips. Mitsuru sat quietly next to Yukari and was texting someone on her iPhone, a business partner; Akihiko merely sat in the armchair next to the couch and tapped his fingers along the arm rest. The inseparable Ken and Koromaru could not come, because Ken was busy studying for an exam tomorrow.

All the while, Junpei was in his room, having a private conversation with someone on the phone.

Aigis didn't really know what to say to break the awkwardness of the situation. Everyone had agreed to allow Junpei to finish his talk before playing. So the android was left with a controller in her hands she could do nothing with and a menu screen that was playing a _very _melodic, bittersweet aria she had to admit was one of the most compelling pieces of music she'd ever heard. Whoever had composed the soundtrack was a genius.

She tapped her mechanical fingers on Junpei's couch as she and her friends waited, waited for something to happen.

The glazed look in Yukari's eyes didn't seem to want to go away anytime soon as she blankly gazed upon the menu screen of _Persona 3 FES. _She wondered, for a little bit, what _FES _even meant, but stopped caring, as the game would still be pretty much a hellspawn regardless of what _FES_ meant. (Unless _FES _meant something that involved God or Christianity, and she was willing to open her mind to that weird possibility because _why not_.)

Fuuka didn't try to think all that much about the game. She didn't want to. And in fact, she was silently hoping that a blackout would suddenly happen to prevent them from playing the game. But then again, even if that were to happen, who was to say that the person calling Junpei's phone over and over again _didn't _have the power to magically upstart electric appliances?

Akihiko and Mitsuru both sat in their seats, just trying to deconstruct the possibilities of who the caller really was. The caller was definitely supernatural in nature. They knew about Minato Arisato's sacrifice. They knew about the Dark Hour, about alternate realities, about games chronicling their lives created and sold _in _alternate realities; the happy-go-lucky nature of its messages definitely gave a picture of someone who would find other people's suffering hilarious, to an extent. Or perhaps someone so dissociated from social norms that they would just end up inadvertently acting the way they would without any real intent to hurt their feelings.

The former seemed much more realistic.

Junpei emerged back from his bedroom and shuffled his phone into his pocket.

"Who was that?" asked Fuuka.

"Just a kid from the baseball team. Asked if we had practice tomorrow. It's nothing," he said.

"Mmm."

The fact that they had ordered so much junk food was a sign that they were putting Junpei's talk about taking what you could get out of this miserable situation into account. Junpei worried a bit especially for Yukari (since she was an actress, image and all that), but figured she didn't care about it.

"Junpei-san, I have done extensive research on these 'role-playing' games, and I believe I'm capable of playing through today's round of events."

"What'd you do?"

"There are a fascinating number of videos called 'Let's Play's, on the internet. I've taken the liberty of downloading one thousand and seventy six of them into my internal hard drive."

Junpei wondered why Mitsuru wasn't distributing more androids to the world. She could make a fortune that would last a lifetime. Then again, considering how much Aigis had changed from a mere robot girl into a robot girl with a soul, perhaps selling Anti-Shadow Weapons would end up causing too many questions to occur. "Does this unit have a soul," and all that.

And as Junpei sat down, Aigis clicked the small horizontal triangle labelled _Start _on the controller, and so began a whole new session of gaming.

* * *

**Chapter Nine - Alone**

* * *

Minato and Yukari's avatars entered the command room, and there they saw yet another monster rearing its ugly head at them.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Ah, there you are. I'm glad that you're okay. The reason I asked you here is because I needed to talk to you. Please, have a seat.**] **The painful part about it was that he was just so _pleasant _about the whole affair that the players just wanted to kill him more. Minato and Yukari's avatars sat down on some perfectly comfortable red seats, and Ikutsuki cut in, **[**Oh, before that. I believe I mentioned him earlier, but this is Akihiko.**] **gesturing to a silver-haired male in the room.

**[Akihiko:** How ya doin'?**] **he asked casually.

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Okay, let me start off by asking you this... Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?**]**

* * *

**{No.}**

{...Excuse me?}

* * *

"What'd he say?" Junpei asked Yukari.

She didn't answer for a few seconds, half lost in the taste of her drink and half thinking. "Can't remember."

_Ring._

_2_

Junpei raised his brows. "Figures. Aigis —"

She'd already pressed down and X.

* * *

Mitsuru's character chuckled, her cutout smiling amusedly with her eyes closed. **[Mitsuru: **I'm not surprised by your reaction. However, you've already experienced this truth firsthand.**] **Her voice turned grave. **[**Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs... The streetlights went out... Nothing was working... There were coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time...?**]**

* * *

It was quite apparent to Aigis that the ominous way Mitsuru spoke about the Dark Hour contrasted greatly with Minato's rather...bland reaction to it all during his first night in Iwatodai. She had truly underestimated Minato's capacity to take anything with a straight face. She remembered how her facial scanners were capable of scanning human expressions and calculating their affiliated emotions with ease, only to try it on the resident Wild Card one day and get _Error_.

Little did she want to admit to anyone that she had gotten _Error _several times during January mainly because she'd begun just looking in his general direction at a much more frequent rate than usual.

...Moving on.

* * *

**[Mitsuru: **That's the Dark Hour - a time period hidden between one day and the next.**]**

* * *

**{Hidden?}**

{Between?}

{I don't get it.}

* * *

_3_

Junpei raised his eyebrows.

"Did he really say that?" asked Aigis.

Yukari mused, "Sounds like something he'd say. Can't remember. Then again, doesn't really matter, does it?"

Aigis sighed somberly, "Yes. Sorry."

* * *

Ikutsuki chuckled at Minato's response, **[Shuji Ikutsuji:** I know how you feel. Who would believe such a story? But, the Dark Hour occurs each night, right at midnight. It'll happen tonight, and every night to come.**]**

Casually, Akihiko's character said, **[Akihiko:** Normal people don't realize it, since they're all sleeping inside their coffins. But, that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting.**] **And then a mildly eerie grin appeared on his cutout's face. **[**...You saw those creatures. We call them "Shadows." They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone not in a coffin. It's our job to defeat them. ...Sounds exciting, huh?**]**

* * *

A part of everyone wondered just how much Akihiko had changed since then, since he had gone around the world training relentlessly to improve his punches (and had the rather large scars on his chest to prove it) before becoming a police officer.

Akihiko just saw a sort of a recklessness in his younger self. A recklessness he had to admit he'd catch himself indulging every now and again. _Especially _during that P-1 Grand Prix...incident that had occurred years back. With that Investigation Team from Yasoinaba. He wondered how they were doing, but then stopped himself and returned to the game at hand.

* * *

Mitsuru was not happy to hear of her colleague's eagerness for battle.** [Mitsuru:** Akihiko! Why are you always like that? You just got hurt the other day!**]**

Ikutsuki stepped in confidently, acting as a medium between the two.** [Shuji Ikutsuki:** Now, now. He does his work well.**] **And then he went back to addressing our protagonist, his tone of voice as bloodcurdlingly jovial as ever. **[**Long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad - SEES for short.**]**

* * *

Mitsuru watched the scene unfold with a bit of anxiety. Remembering, of course, being there in that command room and outright recruiting this young, blue-haired man into her ragtag band of Persona-users. At the time not knowing just how large a role he'd play in defeating the Shadows.

At the time, not knowing just how large a role _she _herself would play in ultimately ending his life.

After his death, Mitsuru had admitted to herself she'd felt partially responsible. After all, if she'd never asked him to join - no, she'd practically begged him - he would not have enacted the final blow which had cost him his future. While she was indeed grateful for his sacrifice and the sheer willingness on his part to give his life for her and his friends...she hardly found it fair.

She _had_...had feelings for him, she knew. After her father's death, Minato had taken the time to speak to her and help her during her mourning, during the last few months before their literal darkest hour. Minato had told her, however, during their last conversation, that he had...wanted to remain friends.

Her feelings remained secret ever since then.

Because everyone could tell that Yukari, Aigis, and Fuuka all had cared (and most likely still cared) for him as well in their own ways.

She wondered when was the right time to tell them how she had allied herself with Yukari back in the Abyss had been partly out of her own need for closure concerning what had happened to Minato.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** A Shadow feeds on the mind of its prey; the victim becomes a living corpse. They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them.**]**

* * *

**{How do you fight them?}**

{What about the police?}

* * *

"He'd asked about the police," said Mitsuru.

"Did he?" asked Aigis.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," replied Yukari. "'What about the police?' he said."

"Well, what does the phone say?" asked Akihiko.

Junpei mirthlessly replied, after having read his new message, "'How do you fight them?'" to which Yukari and Mitsuru both frowned.

"Again?" questioned Yukari.

"This is very confusing. I thought we were meant to correlate our choices with his," said Aigis.

"Just follow what he says," grunted Fuuka, placing another potato chip into her mouth.

Aigis, a bit perturbed by the usually kind and friendly Fuuka being standoffish and dry, proceeded to hit down and X.

* * *

Ikutsuki continued, **[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Although rare, there are those who can function during the Dark Hour. Some may even awaken to a power that enables them to fight the Shadows. That's "Persona" - the power you used the other night. The Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users. Which means, it's all up to you guys.**]**

* * *

**{I see.}**

{So...?}

* * *

_2_

"I remember he said 'I see,'" said Akihiko, a hand to his chin. "I remember that look in his eye, when he said that..."

"Phone says second one."

Akihiko jutted his eyebrows upward for a second. "Figures..."

* * *

Mitsuru's avatar opened a briefcase that had been on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Inside said briefcase was a gleaming silver gun. An Evoker.

**[Mitsuru:** What he's trying to say is, we want you to join us. We've prepared an Evoker for you. We'd like you to lend us your strength.**]**

* * *

**{Alright.}**

{I'm not sure I'm ready.}

* * *

"He said the first one," said Yukari.

"He said 'Alright,'" repeated Mitsuru. "He was willing to take up the job immediately upon being offered it. If the phone tells us otherwise, it's lying."

Junpei turned to Akihiko, who said, "I don't remember. Sorry."

Aigis looked over to Junpei's phone upon seeing the disgusted expression on his face.

_2_

She moved the cursor down and pressed X.

"_What_?"

"You've gotta be kidding!"

* * *

**[Akihiko:** Don't think too much. Just hang out with us for a while.**]**

**[Mitsuru:** Please, we need your help.**]**

**[Yukari:** Wait, you can't ask him like that! Who could say no...? I mean, it'd be nice if he joined, but...**]**

* * *

"That can't be what he said! I remember it as clear as day!" urged Yukari.

"I'm more than certain that he took the offer quite readily," said Mitsuru.

"There's no use trying to struggle against it, is there?" sighed Junpei, to which the two women were silent.

"C'mon," grunted Akihiko, making a tent with his fingers while having his elbows on the armrest. "Let's just power on though, like usual. We should be used to this by now."

"Doesn't make it right...," an iffed Yukari murmured to herself, as a new series of choices popped up on the screen.

* * *

**{...Alright.}**

{Okay, for now.}

{I don't mind.}

* * *

"What's the phone say?" grumbled Yukari.

"3," replied Junpei.

"Perhaps you should just hand me the phone, Junpei-san." said Aigis. "It would be easier to follow orders."

...Junpei really should have thought of that sooner. As such, he placed his cellphone on the table, still keeping it open.

* * *

Gratefully, Mitsuru told Minato,** [Mitsuru:** Thank you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.**]**

**[Yukari:** Does that mean you accept? I was afraid you'd say no... I feel much better now.**] **Yukari said, her cutout smiling, not knowing how much she was really going to regret having ever allowed him into the team.

**[Mitsuru:** I really appreciate it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.**]**

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** Thank you so much. I'm really glad.**] **Everybody cringed at the cheery tone of his voice. **[**Oh, I almost forgot... About your room assignment... Why don't you just stay here, in your current room? I don't know what the holdup is, but I guess it worked out in the end.**] **he chuckled, ever so smugly.

**[Yukari:** Holdup? But, wasn't that - oh, never mind... It doesn't matter anymore...**]**

And then there was a _**SMASH!**_

* * *

"Wh-what the—!?"

* * *

A card, that of the Fool Arcana, twisted into being as the world around them stopped dead in its tracks.

**"Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana..."**

* * *

Junpei blinked. "Well, this is, uh...interesting...?"

Everyone shared the same sentiment, but in a more negative light.

* * *

**You have established a new Social Link! You feel your inner strength ****growing... You recall what Igor said about the power of Social Links.**

* * *

"...okay, now that's just weird," he murmured.

"Aigis, did you ever experience getting these 'Social Links' when you had gotten _his _abilities?" asked Mitsuru, as Fuuka and Yukari stared dead at the screen, trying to analyze the meaning behind the text.

"No," the android replied, cupping her chin. "When I'd been given his powers, I'd...never experienced anything like this. Perhaps this was exclusive to those who could naturally summon Personas, as opposed to those who inherited the ability."

Of course, everyone _still _felt weird about the prospect of these Social Links and their...rather unsavory implications. But, they couldn't jump to any conclusions. After all, they'd just started the game. They'd just gotten their first Social Link. The mechanics of Social Links weren't entirely familiar to them yet. So perhaps this _wasn't_ basically the game telling them that Minato had manipulated them all for power. At least not yet. And besides, friendship is supposed to work both ways. If these Social Links represented...bonds, then Minato had most likely felt at least _something_ like a kinship between himself and his friends.

But then again, who could tell, beyond that still face of his?

Before they were allowed to ponder this any further, the scene shifted.

* * *

**[Mysterious Boy:** Hi, how are you?**]**

* * *

Yukari and Fuuka's eyes widened, that eerie voice crawling into their ears. Junpei blinked and pressed himself further in his seat, Aigis' fingers twitching mildly at the controller. Akihiko raised an eyebrow at the scene as Mitsuru found herself uneasy. She'd never liked horror films...

* * *

It was now evening. The mysterious boy from way back when, the one wearing the striped pajamas, the one who had first met with Minato at the lobby of the dorm that fateful first night, was now at the edge of Minato's bed. His cutout gave the audience a good look at his presumptuous little grin as his glowering grey eyes pierced directly into their souls.

* * *

**{And you are...?}**

{How'd you get in here?}

* * *

"Wh-what'd he say?" stammered Junpei.

Aigis calmly answered, "2," only having caught the screen for half a second.

Yukari's lip quivered as she held Mitsuru's hand, having a rather low opinion of horror movies herself. Fuuka just continued eating away at her bag of potato chips, uncaring of the crumbs falling on her lap and the floor and the couch.

* * *

Like he was offended, the boy said,** [Mysterious Boy:** I'm always with you...**]**, managing to evoke a little bit of pity out of his audience before taking an enigmatic tone of voice and snuffing all that pity out. **[**Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you.**]**

* * *

The end. The end. The end.

They all knew what that had meant. They all knew, and the memories returned. Memories of moons, and green skies, and screaming, and gravity, and him floating up into space and saving the world, and rooftops, and time, and promises to do better in the future, and regrets. And as they broke, as their trauma was welling up within themselves once more, the cellphone rang, and Aigis read the newest message.

Little did they know what Minato's answer to this was going to be.

* * *

**{The end?}**

{I don't care.}

* * *

She moved the cursor downward...

* * *

{The end?}

**{I don't care.}**

* * *

"Wh-what...?" muttered Fuuka.

Yukari and Junpei both stared at Aigis, almost unable to believe it. Aigis looked just as downtrodden as them, her thumb clicking X.

* * *

**[Mysterious Boy:** Really? ...If you say so. To be honest, I can't tell you much about it yet.**]**

* * *

This wasn't right.

This couldn't have been right.

Minato, right from the _very beginning_, had been a kind and sociable young man who cherished life. Who _must _have cherished life. He'd made so many friends, changed so many people's lives, done so much just to make others happy. His popularity had superseded Mitsuru's, during those precious last three months of school, due to his extreme sociability and kindness. He had been humble enough to not care about the praise, humble enough to love everyone all the same, patient enough to wait for everyone to _remember March 5_, _remember graduation day_, _remember to go to the rooftop_.

This, simply put, did not make sense. It was like saying ice was hot.

* * *

**[Mysterious Boy:** Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power...and an unusual power it is. A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none... It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up.**] **And then he disappeared, reappearing at the foot of the bed, as if _just _to scare the audience. It totally worked. **[**Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honor your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me... Okay then, see you later.**]**

And then, he vanished from the scene. Leaving Minato in his bed.

* * *

And the audience with multiple questions.

Questions they would not be able to answer. Not as they were right now. Not this early in the game. It wasn't yet time.

* * *

**4/19/09**

**Evening**

And I felt bad that it wasn't yet time for them to know.

But the show had to go on.

* * *

**[Yukari:**...Okay, he's here now. So, what's this all about?**]**

Lobby of the dorm. Minato had made it downstairs from his bedroom, having been called by his teammates.

**[Akihiko:** There's someone I want to introduce.**] **And then Akihiko turned to the door. **[**...Hey, hurry up.**]**

**[Voice from Outside:** Hold your horses... This is freakin' heavy.**]**

* * *

Despite the negative overtones of the preceding scene, things were looking up again. Sort of. Junpei was grinning in embarrassment. Yukari chuckled. Fuuka raised an eyebrow, deciding to put aside her chips for the moment. Akihiko gave a mildly nostalgic smile as Mitsuru folded her arms. Aigis tilted her head, recognizing that voice from outside as—

* * *

**[Yukari:** J-Junpei!?**] **she exclaimed. **[**...Why is HE here!? Wait, don't tell me—**]**

Junpei had arrived in the dormitory, a bunch of suitcases and luggages at his side.

**[Akihiko:** This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F.**] **her senpai said, disregarding her obvious displeasure of the situation. **[**He'll be staying here as of today.**]**

Junpei just chuckled at the situation, sheepishly saying, **[Junpei: **Wazzup?**]**

**[Yukari:** He's staying HERE!? You've gotta be kidding me!**]**

* * *

Junpei and Yukari had to admit, they were fond of these old days. When they were just rambunctious teens not knowing thing one about fighting Shadows and monsters. Back when they had been at each other's throats more often than they were now.

Yukari liked to think the experience had helped them both, despite the fact that they still argued every now and again over the littlest things. Both she and Junpei, however, agreed that they wouldn't have it any other way, trusting each other till the very end. Even back in the Grand Prix, she and he just searched for each other and supported each other during the particularly rough patch that that Malevolent Entity had had to offer them.

But both of them admitted, to themselves, that it'd have been better had Minato been there.

He actually might have saved them all sooner, even.

* * *

Like it was blasphemy, Yukari exclaimed,** [Yukari: **You have the potential!? For real!?**]**

In a bout of actual self-deprecation, Junpei groaned,** [Junpei:** He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but... man, that's embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal... in the beginning. Like, bein' confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?**]**

* * *

**{Uh huh.}**

{Nope.}

{Didn't happen to me.}

* * *

_3_

Down, down, X.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Big deal. It happens to everyone else.**]**

* * *

Junpei's real-life counterpart just chuckled, partly out of embarrassment, partly out of amusement. Yep. If there had been one thing the game got right, it got his ego back then down pat.

**[Junpei: **...But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea,**] **he said, eagerly. **[**I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know. I bet you're stoked too, right!? Havin' me join...**]**

**[Yukari:** Huh? Uh, y-yeah...**]**

* * *

"That was kind of harsh, wasn't it, Yukari-chan?" amusedly said Fuuka, her first words since they had begun their second day of playing the game.

"I _tried _to be nice," she defended, somewhat glad that Fuuka wasn't going to be dreary throughout the whole session. "Keep in mind Junpei and I weren't exactly close friends at that point..."

"Neither were you and Minato, and just a few days after meeting him, you were all, 'I've been waiting to tell that to someone for a _looong _time—"

"I'm gonna slap you...," Yukari tiredly said, to which Junpei and everyone else in the room chortled. "I was there during your team's first game! That's all it takes, one hard smack to the head."

"The funny thing is, despite Matsuda hitting the ball into my left eye, we still won," smiled Junpei.

* * *

**[Akihiko:** With this many people, we can start exploring that place.**]**

**[Yukari:** You mean... Tartarus...?**]**

* * *

...And just like that, everything stopped being funny.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Tartarus...? What's that? ...Sounds like toothpaste.**]**

* * *

Aigis and Fuuka both turned to Junpei, both looking more than a little disappointed in him.

"Come on! That was years ago!" he exclaimed. "I didn't read up on any Greek legends back then! Nobody cared about that stuff!"

"Says the guy who had Hermes as his Persona," snorted Yukari.

* * *

[**Akihiko:** We believe we can find the reason for the Dark Hour there.**]**

**[Yukari:** I hope so...**]**

**[Akihiko:** The Chairman will give us the details tomorrow night, so be ready.**]**

* * *

All kidding aside, everyone knew that what was going to happen next was bound to be a nightmare of a scene. They would take their first few steps inside Tartarus _again_. After six years of having avoided the Dark Hour, avoided the demons, avoided the darkness, they were about to just run back in and wreck shop. Or get dominated. Considering that the Shadows were _beastly _strong, when they had fought them way back when...

And as their new escapade into the tower began, I looked upwards, to the sky. Scathach behind me, scanning their room.

"They're about to go in," I told him. "Again." I smiled, before hardening my expression. "You won't be alone anymore."


	12. Chapter 10

What does it mean to _truly _love?

That statement has the implication that there is indeed such a thing as "true love," a kind of love elevated above "regular love." And this is a notion I do not approve of, because love cannot really be classified into subtypes. What are the boundaries between true love and regular love? When does something stop being a regular kind of love and transition into true love? And for that matter, how would you know if you feel love, or simply admiration, or infatuation?

Perhaps true love can better be defined if we go by non-romantic standards of love, such as platonic and familial love. The question has now shifted a bit: "Can true love be achieved without any sort of romantic attachment?"

Familial love differs, however, from both platonic and romantic love, as both at least require a bond to be established between those involved. However, in familial love, the bond itself has already been established in the form of those involved already being members of the same family. This can lead to questions like, "Can it be considered true love if you love someone whose connection to you is determined by blood?" or "Is familial love true love _because _that connection has been established by blood alone?"

It can also be argued that platonic love, where celibacy has taken center stage, can be considered a "true" form of love. After all, if the basis of sexuality has been removed altogether from the equation, all that's left are the emotions felt between those in the relationship. And is that not admirable? Can that not be considered true love?

The Bible says that true love is God's love — compassionate, selfless, all-encompassing, pure, heartfelt, fearless. However, once these terms are broadened, technically _all _forms of love (romantic, platonic, purely friendship-based, familial) have these characteristics.

Most forms of love (mentioned above) in and of themselves can be considered "true," at least in the sense that your affections are genuine and real. Trying to quantify a certain way to love someone or something as "true love" implies that _this_ way to love is much greater than another, when really, love is great in and of itself, in any way, shape, or form. Really, it all depends on what people prioritise; some people put family above all else, others put God above all else, others still prioritise their significant other above all else. It's not a question of what is a "truer" kind of love.

Love is a feeling that incites endearment from one person to another. It spurs kindness, compassion, strength, hope, and power. It is not selfish. It is not impatient. It is not untrue.

I wonder why I think of this as I talk. To the sky. To _him_.

"I'm thinkin' of showing them the movie trailer, too," I said to the sky, chomping on a piece of bread I'd brought along with me. I narrowed my eyes, "_What_? You gave me the okay to let them play a sixty hour game all about _you_, but you don't wanna show them the eight-hour long movie series made about _you_?" I stood up from my seat, incredulously, "At least _you _got a movie series. Didn't you wanna be an actor? Or was it a doctor?" I took another bite out of my bread. "Doctor, right. I always personally thought you'd be good as a model."

The clouds moved at a snail's pace.

"Oh come on. You're easy on the eyes. Or at least you _were_. Before you became a door." I smirked, "You're dead, take a joke for once. The dead can't be offended." The wind whistled harshly, "Okay, okay, fine. I guess they can. You're still so uppity." And then the wind softened its breeze. "Yeah...I guess I can see why." The air was still. The world seemed to stop moving as I said, "You realize I wouldn't be having them play the game if you didn't mess everything up." The wind started blowing harshly again, "Okay, come on now!"

The wind stopped, as I sighed.

"Seriously, though...," I smiled at the sky somberly, "you shouldn't be so scared."

And then all of a sudden, the wind stopped. And I felt an inexorable cold, and from that cold I clasped my hands to my face and breathed. I breathed because I thought of him, I thought of how much he needed me, of how much of a fool I was to care so little about him or his feelings. I silently berated myself for my foolishness as I sat down and I breathed, trying not to make a scene, trying not to blow up in anger or sadness or frustration because it was not only his fault but mine as well. Mine because I saw him as little more than an odd friend and an interesting fellow but I'd ruined everything because of my own selfishness, my own desires, my own wants, my own needs.

I was such a liar.

"I'm sorry," I said to the sky. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I never knew." The breeze was as gentle as a hand on my shoulder. "Y-yeah...I know. I know, it's just that it's hard. It's hard to think about how much this could've been avoided." And then I was told the simplest solution. "You're right. I should just stop thinking about it then, huh?"

The sky said nothing. The air did nothing.

"Yeah. Okay," I smirked. "At least when you're dead, you have an excuse for being so stoic."

* * *

**Chapter Ten - Hello Darkness, My Old Friend...**

* * *

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** ...starting tonight at 12:00 AM, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus.**]**

* * *

Aigis' fingers twitched.

Junpei crossed his legs and his arms, keeping his eyes on the screen. Yukari and Fuuka started eating the junk food they'd brought in at a quicker rate. Mitsuru and Akihiko stared impassively at the scene about to unfold.

They were about to go back into the night.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Sorry... I asked this yesterday, but what's this Tartarus thing again?**]**

**[Yukari:** You haven't seen it, Junpei?**]**

**[Junpei:** Hm...?**]**

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** It's no surprise...since it only appears during the Dark Hour.**]**

* * *

The arena of their misfortunes was about to come back to them. Just like it had, way back when. Back in Inaba, where that Grand Prix had been held. For a brief moment, Aigis wondered just _how _she was going to explain all of this to Labrys, if she was ever going to have the chance...

* * *

Akihiko's cutout grinned and his voice took on a daring tone,** [Akihiko:** Just like the Shadows... Interesting, huh? And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest.**]**

In wonder, Junpei gaped,** [Junpei:** Whoa... Their nest, huh...?**]**

**[Yukari:** But, Senpai... what about your injury?**]**

Amusedly, Mitsuru said, **[Mitsuru:** Since Akihiko hasn't fully recovered yet, he'll only come as far as the entrance.**]**

Disappointedly, Akihiko muttered,** [Akihiko:** ...Yeah, I know.**]**

* * *

"Say, why didn't you guys just heal Akihiko-senpai up from his injuries back then?" Junpei asked. "I forgot."

Mitsuru pondered that question herself for a little bit. "I can't remember, either. I suppose I had something to do with what the doctor said. Akihiko?"

"Been so long...," Akihiko chuckled. "I don't remember what the reason was." But he did remember something else. The thrill of the fight. The sensation of going into battle against the Shadows and always getting stronger, getting better, fighting harder. And how much Shinji had humbled him. Still, though...even to this day, Akihiko had to admit that there was still a sense of thrill in the thought of bettering himself through his fists.

Perhaps some things would never change.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Relax, I've got your backs.**] **Junpei said, his cutout grinning confidently.

An uneasy Yukari mused,** [Yukari:** I'm not so sure about this...**]**

**[Mitsuru:** What about you, Mr. Chairman?**]**

**[Shuji Ikutsuki:** I'll stay here. As you know, I can't summon a Persona...**]**

* * *

Was the specter of the Dark Hour bound to follow them for the rest of their lives?

But, Mitsuru realized, maybe that was the whole point.

After all, the game focused on one whole year of their lives. Out of everyone in the world, it had to focus on their lives. On _his _life. Perhaps the events of the game were what the concept behind their existence had been founded upon. What if they had been created _for _the game? Were they just meant to be supporting characters, whose purpose was to hold up the story of a single, _main _character? Were they born just for this one single year alone?

Had all their lives been planned out specifically for this one game, this one year, for one main character? In another universe, that was what exactly had happened, wasn't it? To another universe, they were all just fictional characters. Meant to fulfill the whims of developers who wanted to create a story-based game that lasted more than seventy hours.

Their lives only had meaning in the face of the Dark Hour. In the face of Personas, and Shadows, and their unquenchable madness and glory. Without those things, did they even really matter at all?

Were they real people, even as they were? Or were they just following the whims of some omnipresent writer or artist, doomed to fulfill some purpose they had no say in at all?

Mitsuru recomposed herself when the scene shifted to Junpei.

* * *

**Late Night**

**[Junpei:** This is it? THIS is the place? Why HERE?**]**

Rather understandably, Junpei seemed perplexed as to why this Tartarus, this _nest of Shadows_, seemed to be exactly where their high school had been.

**[Akihiko:** Just wait a few minutes... It's almost midnight.**]**

* * *

And then a cutscene.

Akihiko's digital watch took over most of the frame. Ticking noises, seconds counting down the last minute before midnight. _Tick, tick tick. _And then once the watch ended its noise, the dark blue of the skies faded to an emerald green, the moon crescent and having decayed. The music turned esoteric as the tower began its violent rebirth into the dark.

With a horrible _grrrind_ing noise,structures rose up from the school, suddenly cutting back to the heroes watching the madness unfold with fright in their eyes and sweat trickling down the sides of their heads. The tower continued climbing upwards from structures that had used to be their school, the shadow of the dark structure painting itself over the five teens who were simply far too small.

Rumbling, crude, violent, the building folded in itself yet continued to rise, various shapes and forms and figures all meshing into each other in a cobbled and indescribable mass of stone and crystal and dark matter. Like it was alive, like it wanted to reach greater heights, like it had nothing to live for but the _climb_.

And when it had all been over, the tower stood above the five Shadow-hunters who would bring about the world's end. Macabre, vile, beautiful, overwhelming.

This was Tartarus. The Tower of Demise.

* * *

Their old friend had come to talk with them again.

Yukari stared at the scene with more anxiety than anger or fear. Although it was a safe assumption to say she had felt all three at the same time. Fuuka merely gave an impassive yet wide-eyed look at the screen, her hands in her lap as she sat straight. Mitsuru put a hand to her mouth in cold examination. Akihiko gave a sour gaze, leaning back in his seat as he crossed his arms. Junpei removed his cap out of some sort of weird respect for the year they'd spent trying to figure out the tower's secrets.

Aigis' shoulders lowered as her expression tightened into one of insecurity, one of unease. She remembered something like terror gripping her once she had truly _seen _the tower rise from the structures of their school. After Ikutsuki had revealed his true colors. After she had almost shot Minato square in the face. After she had felt that little spark in her that Minato had called _humanity_. She was seeing all of that, experiencing all of that, once again. Once more.

She might as well have been locking her sights onto his blue fringe all over again.

And so the scene continued on. With our heroes gazing into the abyss once more, and the abyss gazing right back at them with love light in its eye.

* * *

**Dark Hour**

The five Shadow-hunters stood at the front gates of their school, Tartarus having come alive right before their eyes. In the place of Gekkoukan was a malodorous tower of cosmic proportions, ruining the sanctity of the Earth with its presence alone.

**[Mitsuru:** This is Tartarus - the labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour.**]** Mitsuru said that statement as if she was secretly telling the newcomers that they had better get used to the sight they had before them.

**[Junpei:** Labyrinth...? What are you talking about!? What happened to our school!?**]** Junpei, rather understandably, exclaimed.

**[Mitsuru:** Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal.**]**

**[Junpei:** This is the "nest" you were talking about!? But, why!?**]** Junpei cried to Akihiko,** [**Why'd our school turn into a giant tower!?**]**

* * *

"You know, it's kind of funny that he didn't really react at all to this," Junpei noted.

"He didn't even really say anything about it," mused Akihiko. "I thought he was quiet before, but at that point I was just impressed."

"So he literally had nothing to say when he first saw Tartarus rise?" asked Fuuka.

"Not a thing," said Yukari, before breaking out into a sardonic smirk. "As usual."

But their wits ran dry somewhat with only three lines of dialogue.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** ...**]**

**[Junpei:** You don't know, either?**]**

**[Mitsuru:** ...No.**]**

* * *

Yukari turned to Mitsuru. Sure enough, her senpai seemed more than a little on edge. It was sobering for her, to confront the sins of her grandfather once again, and in circumstances so blunt, so outrageous, so ridiculous it all might as well have been proof that the multiverse had quite the twisted sense of humor. At least she could take solace in the fact that this time, she would face the tower again after having truly ascribed to the motto of the Kirijo Group.

"Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection," indeed.

Mitsuru turned to Yukari and smiled assuringly, placing her hand on hers. Yukari gave a bit of a bashful smile, and the two of them turned back to the screen. Somewhat ready. Somewhat nervous. But willing to press on.

* * *

**[Yukari:** I'm sure it's complicated.**]**

* * *

At that, both Mitsuru and Yukari gave a dry chuckle.

* * *

**[Yukari: **Who cares anyway? It's not like it would change our minds about fighting.**]**

Contemplatively, Akihiko spoke to his kohai,** [Akihiko:** Well, maybe now we'll find out. Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; this will be our first time exploring it.**] **His cutout grinned, and his voice turned eager. **[**Exciting, isn't it? There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour...**]**

Luckily, Mitsuru had his leash.** [Mitsuru:** Akihiko. I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today.**]**

**[Akihiko:** I know... You don't have to remind me.**]**

* * *

"Did you guys ever notice the people who thought you two were a couple?" asked Junpei.

Akihiko narrowed his eyes, "Excuse me?"

Yukari said to Mitsuru, "A lot of people in the student body thought you and Akihiko-senpai were an item."

"Really?" Mitsuru stammered, looking just a teensy bit flustered.

"Well, you two hung out a lot," Junpei said. "Even outside of Tartarus and your clubs..."

Akihiko gave a _Hmm _and said, "Personally, I'd prefer if we'd stay friends."

"Agreed," sighed Mitsuru as she leaned back in her seat. "Where had they even come to that conclusion...?"

Yukari, Fuuka, Junpei, and even _Aigis _looked massively disappointed in their senpais' lack of intuition.

"Wh-what?" Mitsuru asked, noticing the sudden drop in the atmosphere. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Mitsuru-san," Aigis sighed, a bit of a smile dancing upon her lips.

Mitsuru's unawareness reminded the android somewhat of her earlier days with Minato, how she had been awkward and fidgeting and _not normal_. But he had touched her heart all the same. And so the game continued on.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Whoa... It's just as cool on the inside...**]**

The five Persona-users stood at the base of a gigantic staircase. They were within Tartarus, on its first floor. A gathering of Ionic pillars encircled them as the world shifted far off in the background, the story continuing on and our protagonist remaining as silent as ever.

**[Yukari:** But, it sure is creepy...**] **Yukari noted, her cutout rather uneasy.

**[Mitsuru:** This is only the entrance,**] **said Mitsuru, all business-like in her proceedings. **[**The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs.**]**

Readily, Akihiko told his kohai, **[Akihiko:** First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place. Why don't you go have a look around?**]**

A frightened Yukari exclaimed,** [Yukari:** What!? By ourselves!?**]**

**[Mitsuru:** We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here.**]**

**[Junpei:** So, you two didn't plan on coming in the first place?**]**

**[Akihiko:** That's right. We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions.**]**

* * *

_Ah_, Junpei sighed. The moment of truth.

* * *

**[Junpei: **For real? ...One of us? Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!**]**

* * *

"Do we _have _to listen to this...?" Junpei groaned, grinning at himself in embarrassment. "This is brutal..."

_Ring_.

"Oh, come on..."

_Yyyyep._

Yukari and Aigis took to chuckling while Junpei groaned some more, "I hate you. I hate you so much. More than anything else in the world. I wish I could hate you to death."

Incidentally, at that very moment, I got a nosebleed.

* * *

In good judgment, Akihiko knew _exactly _who to choose for the job.** [Akihiko:** ...You're in charge.**] **he said to Minato's cutout.

**[Junpei:** W-Wait! Why him!? He doesn't look like a leader!**] **Junpei cried out.

* * *

"You guys realize I _had a point there, _didn't I?" Junpei said. "I mean, c'mon. Did you guys take one glance at him and think he'd be a good leader from his looks alone?"

Fuuka blushed, somewhat unwilling to answer that question.

Yukari simply said to him, "Looks don't matter."

Junpei chuckled, "It's what's on the inside that counts...but it's what's on the _outside_ that matters."

"You're a very sad man, then."

"I'm not sad. I'm realistic," he retorted.

* * *

**[Yukari:** But, he _has_ fought them before...**]**

Incredulously, Junpei asked Minato, **[Junpei:** _Seriously_?**]**

**[Akihiko:** That's true, but there's another reason. You two...**] **Akihiko pulled out his Evoker, Yukari and Junpei's attention drawn to him. He put the gun to his head and asked the two of them with the utmost urgency in his voice, **[**Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like _he_ can?**]**

Trying to showcase some bravado, Junpei stammered,** [Junpei:** Y-Yeah, of course I can!**]**

The much less insecure Yukari merely admitted,** [Yukari:** I think so.**]**

Akihiko brought the Evoker back to his side, coldly addressing the newcomers, **[Akihiko:** These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed.**]**

**[Yukari:** I'm aware of that,**] **Yukari said, the unease of the Evoker still refusing to leave her.

* * *

Junpei put a hand to his chin and jokingly wondered if the game would allow the player to simply stare at Tartarus' walls in blank nothingness, like how Minato had, years prior. That would've been the perfect way to immerse them within his world. But that simply wasn't a fun thing to do. And in game production, one must make the game as fun as possible.

Still, it would've been nice to have had the option.

* * *

Everyone moved towards the stairs, but Minato heard a strange _shattering _noise, turning his head to the side. The camera shifted, Minato having spotted a freestanding door right in front of him. Yukari's avatar had a question mark popped over her head, expressing her confusion at his sudden motion.

**You see a strange door...**

* * *

And everybody knew what _that_ meant.

"So _that_'s why he would stand there for minutes at a time!" Junpei exclaimed.

* * *

Minato walked over to the door, his allies watching him closely. **You used the Velvet Key.**

And then the door opened to a flash of white.

* * *

Akihiko gave a bitter laugh. Junpei and Yukari stared at the screen, beyond flabbergasted. Fuuka, Aigis, and Mitsuru had already deduced why Minato had always been so preoccupied with staring at Tartarus' walls so often. Fuuka and Mitsuru had figured it out themselves mere minutes before the Room had been shunted into frame. Aigis had figured it out once she had gained his abilities, his powers.

* * *

The aria of the soul.

Igor and Elizabeth, still in their same spots. As they had always been. Minato standing before them, in front of his lyre-shaped chair.

**[Igor:** I've been waiting for you,**] **Igor said eagerly, before his tone of voice turned for the dramatic, the bombastic. **[**The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into... How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power.**]**

* * *

**{The nature of my power...?}**

{About that door...}

{I don't want to know.}

* * *

Nobody had seen this occur before. Nobody knew what Minato had said. So it came as a great shock to virtually everyone when I sent them one simple number.

_3_

"You're...serious...?" Junpei muttered to himself.

Yukari stared at the phone in aggravation. Fuuka, in resignation. Mitsuru, in contemplation; Akihiko, in uneasiness; Aigis, in disappointment. In pity. In sadness that she hadn't met him sooner and perhaps alleviated his pain somewhat at a much earlier date. At this single text, they truly couldn't help but wonder anymore how much of Minato was just one big lie. But they had to press on.

* * *

**[Igor:** Please, you must understand... It is of the utmost importance.**] **Igor said, not in disappointment but in urgency. **[**Besides, this shall be the last time I beckon you here... Your power is unique. It's like the number zero... It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities,**] **he said, almost like he was trying to encourage the blue-haired Wild Card to fight further in his task. **[**You, my boy, are able to possess multiple Personas, and summon them as needed. And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp... But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly... Be sure to keep that in mind.**]**

* * *

This could not have been.

Minato was one of the kindest souls any of them had ever met. If he had been so...depressed, so troubled, so disturbed, they'd have known it. He'd have told them. Wouldn't he have? He'd have said at least something to them. Anything. They were his friends, were they not? And wasn't _he _theirs? Weren't they part of a Social Link already?

He would never have kept it hidden to himself...not with them around. Not when all of the women of the team had fallen for him. Not when all of the guys had fought alongside him in battle. Not when they had all needed each other to stay alive during fights against Shadows and Floor Guardians.

Not when they had faced the end of the world together. Not when he had died to protect them all.

None of this made any sense.

* * *

**[Igor: **My spare time will soon be scarce. But, please come again of your own accord. I'll tell you then about my true role... the manner in which I can best assist you. Until then... Farewell.**]  
**

* * *

None of it made any sense at all.

And so again, they were forced to confront the reality that the Minato Arisato they'd all loved was perhaps someone they had never truly known.

After all, what, pray tell, does it mean to truly love?

I wonder this, and I continue to wonder this still as I converse with the sky. I do not know if what I feel towards him is love. I do not know if he loves me back. Or if he should. He should hate me, if anything. After what I'd done to him. And yet he would still speak to me like I was his friend. Like I mattered to him.

And that's a beautiful thing, mattering to someone. Being loved, loving, caring for, being cared for. It was something I didn't deserve, certainly not from him. Because I had loved, once. And I think I still loved. I still...cared. For that one special someone who had come so close yet...was left so far. And for that failure, I had to atone. I could never love again. Not even for him.

Not for the Messiah Who Sinned.

And so I decide to put these thoughts aside for now, as I take these feelings and store it away in the little cave I call a chest, where my heart had once been.

"You're lucky you're cute. And dead," I chuckled at him.

* * *

**A/N: I am ashamed. Merry Christmas. Shorter chapters it is. If I take too long, I'll die before I finish this. I hope to not put in another Intermission anytime soon. Even I'm sick of them. Didn't write out the battle scene yet because the tutorial is filled with so many descriptions it's enough for another whole chapter.**

**Happy new year, everyone. Let's hope things get better in 2017.**

_*sees poster for the Emoji Movie*_


	13. Chapter 11

**Ground Rules, Part One**

* * *

**[Yukari:** Hey, are you alright?**]**

**[Junpei:** Yeah, what's up? You look like a zombie.**]**

* * *

**{Nothing.}**

{I opened this door, and...}

* * *

_2_

Junpei blinked, not recalling this situation at all, "You serious."

"I don't remember what he said," sighed Yukari. "Though, _Nothing _seems more in character..."

Junpei sighed, "I know...," as Aigis pressed _Down, X_.

* * *

**[Yukari:** Huh? What door...?**]**

**[Junpei:** Man, are you loco?**]**

**They don't seem to see the door.**

* * *

Aigis recognized the door, having taken refuge in it multiple times during her excursions in the Abyss of Time. It was where she'd fused her Personas together once she'd gotten...his gift. She'd never brought it up because, well, what reason did she have to? She wondered, briefly, if Minato had had the same idea, all those years ago. But her teammates seemed rather off-put by this Velvet Room, and so she decided to press X over and over again 'till this little dialogue between the avatars would end.

* * *

**[Yukari: **Have you been nodding off? You seem kinda out of it.**]**

**[Junpei: **Dude, you're s'posed to be our leader. Get your head in the game!**]**

* * *

Junpei and Yukari hadn't felt as embarrassed as they were this very moment in quite a long time. They both just knew Minato must've felt more than a little upset at them, when this had happened, but being himself, he had kept it under wraps like the stoic emo teen he had been.

Fuuka stared at the screen somberly as Mitsuru looked like she could have used a drink. Akihiko just dejectedly exhaled.

Aigis continued on, hoping none of them would ask her if she'd known of the Room as well, after gaining the power of the Wild Card. This had all been complicated enough as it was.

* * *

After the game gave some helpful tips involving checking the characters' statuses using the triangle button and saving their progress by accessing the clock to the left of the stairs (which helpfully explained why Minato had always gone to the clock as well and stared at it for seeming ages), Aigis had Minato and his chums take their very first steps into the Tower of Demise.

And again, everyone had found themselves taken years back. Into the dark, dingy green halls; the blood dripping down from the ceilings, from the walls. Shadows, dark abominations creeping in from every corner, seeking to eat their vile flesh and undo the fabrics that held their respective sanities together. S.E.E.S., the last bastion against the darkness, fighting for survival and ensuring that the world would see another year.

Except now they all had to _take turns _in their fights, apparently.

**[Junpei:** So, this is it, huh...?**]**

**[Yukari:** I hope I don't get lost...**]**

* * *

Junpei and Yukari felt that oddly disturbing kind of nostalgia only the Dark Hour could generate, scraping against the back of their necks. They knew this feeling; it was an itching, looming feeling that something from somewhere 'round the corner was gonna leap at them and rip their throats out. They weren't even in the tower, yet they had this nagging itch at their necks all the same. This pervasive fear that something, somehow could go wrong.

* * *

A mechanical, beeping noise. **[Mitsuru:** Can you all hear me?**]** she asked, her voice filtered with static.

**[Junpei:** Whoa! Is that you, Senpai?**]**

**[Mitsuru:** I'll be providing audio backup from here on out.**]**

**[Junpei:** Wait... Ya mean, you can see inside here?**]**

**[Mitsuru:** It's my Persona's ability.**] **she replied. **[**I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative.**]**

**[Yukari:** Well, THAT makes me feel a whole lot better...**] **Yukari muttered.

Without even really registering Yukari's response, Mitsuru said, **[Mitsuru: **Now, based on your current location, you can expect to encounter enemies at any minute. They shouldn't be too tough, but proceed with caution. Practice makes perfect.**]**

**[Junpei:** Right!**]**

**[Yukari:** Got it.**] **Then, she whispered, to herself, **[**Why is she always like that...?**]**

* * *

Mitsuru turned to Yukari, who sheepishly rubbed the back of her head in kind. In truth, Mitsuru had been a little aware of Yukari's not-entirely unfounded dislike of her. She'd always just taken it in stride, having not dared to talk about it for fear of fracturing the team's efforts; especially not after the bomb Yakushima had dropped upon all of them.

So Mitsuru had been more than a little surprised when Yukari had taken the time to speak with her on the riverbanks at Kyoto, about the death of her own father at the hands of Ikutsuki. And while it may have seemed a little morbid to bond over their dead parents, Yukari had earned Mitsuru's loyalty at that very moment.

And Mitsuru herself couldn't help but think again of events in the Abyss, where she'd held Yukari close to her in the middle of Purgatory's Colosseum. As she and all her friends mourned the one responsible for giving them their lives.

But looking back on these scenes, seeing the April of 2009 play out so vividly, Mitsuru found herself recalling what it had been like to stand at the base of Tartarus and take the reins as mission control, being the cold and aloof senpai she had been before realizing what the whole team had meant to her.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Let's begin. Keep in mind, these are real battles you'll be engaging in. Now, see if you can eliminate all the Shadows wandering around on this floor.**]**

* * *

"First dungeon," grunted Junpei. "First dungeon of the game..."

If there was one thing he and everyone else had to agree upon, it was that the game had an...interesting soundtrack. As Minato and his digital chums sauntered throughout the floor in search of something to do, the Persona-users of the real world grew to really hate whoever had composed the score. Because they knew that _someone _had to put in the time and the effort into making it specifically for their ventures into the tower. And all that effort _paid off_ into something that actually sounded kind of sort of good.

Which was bad.

Especially since this sounded like the stuff Minato would listen to. He'd always had this weird taste in music—

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Watch out! I detect a Shadow in front of you! Move in and hit it before it attacks you!**]**

* * *

—and all at once everybody stopped thinking about the music and started thinking about the fact that they were gonna take part in their first ever battle in Tartarus.

Fuuka leaned in, slightly interested in how this was going to play out, as she'd asked about it before and she'd only been told how terrified they had all been—except for Minato, of course—and would've liked a bit more detail. Akihiko and Mitsuru leaned back in their seats like old soldiers while Yukari rubbed her hands over her face and Junpei took off his cap 'cause his hair was getting a little too sweaty for its own good.

Aigis, on the other hand, straightened her back and and went through all the different _Let's Plays_ she'd recorded into her database and panicked in that way robots would panic when stuck in this kind of situation before remembering that left analog stick moves the character forward—

* * *

**HELP: PRESS THE X BUTTON TO USE YOUR WEAPON. IF YOU CAN HIT AN ENEMY BEFORE IT ****HITS YOU, THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE ADVANTAGE AT THE START OF BATTLE.**

* * *

—and her Anti-Shadow Weapon instincts kicked into overdrive as her finger _slammed _into the X button and made Minato slash the black blob in front of them that was a Shadow—

* * *

_BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BAAAAAAAAAA~!_

* * *

—only for everyone to hear that song.

That stupid song. They would hear it ringing from Minato's earphones almost all the time back in high school. Junpei had kinda liked it, Yukari hadn't minded it until she'd heard it from him every morning, Akihiko and Mitsuru remembered it but recalled not really having been into that genre of music, Fuuka had and still rather enjoyed it (and downloaded Lotus' Juice's other albums in her spare time), and Aigis still listened to it often to remember him by.

But now the game made them hate the song, because the game was the game.

Then Mitsuru suddenly said to our wayward protagonist, as he and his allies got into position against the Shadow in a giant chasm of various shapes and objects that all looked rather like a Dadaist painting,** [Mitsuru:** Takeba has informed me about your power, but nevertheless you have minimal combat experience. Would you like me to explain the basics of battle?**]**

* * *

**{Yes, please.}**

{No thanks.}

* * *

"I don't remember saying that," Mitsuru said.

"Guess you're the tutorial guide," said Junpei, leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head.

"Well...it does seem the logical choice," she noted. "Though it seems...awkward, considering the game had done well enough thus far with using plain text to explain its instructions."

"I don't think instructions are necessary," said Aigis. "I've recorded Junpei-san's last attempt at playing the game, and I believe I may be able to do the same as he."

"What does the phone say?" asked Fuuka.

"Nothing yet—"

_Ring._

"—right on time..."

_Meh, do whatever ;)_

Junpei didn't understand how he could hate someone this much despite never seeing their face.

"Guess we can skip..."

* * *

{Yes, please.}

**{No thanks.}**

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Okay, then I want you to defeat the enemy before you. Try using both the "Skill" and "Attack" options.**]**

So the crew faced down one Cowardly Maya and one Muttering Tiara. The Maya was a dark blob as large as the tire of a GMC van, and the Muttering Tiara was a floating, tentacled creature with a heart-shaped ornament atop its head. The Shadows' names, weaknesses, and strengths our heroes knew by heart, as you tend to remember the name of things you frequently find yourself having to kill.

Aigis had Makoto press X on Attack, and the fight went on. She saw little real attempt to have fun, so the whole battle consisted of Minato and his friends swinging their weapons around until all the enemies were dead. Sure, Yukari ended up suffering a little scratch, but in the end the Shadows died and the crew was no worse for wear.

* * *

The sight should've stirred them. The fight should've pumped them up. Everything should've been so much more painful. But it wasn't. They just had this dull feeling settle in their chests, like they'd taken a thousand steps forward and then another thousand back. They'd gone _past _fighting Shadows. _Past _all that nightmarish stuff. And while they had come up again fairly recently, what with their little romp through the TV World, it sucked to see all their achievements reduced to _just a game._

Because that was what all this was! A game. To some alternate universe, all their pain and suffering and slow but _amazing _catharsis was all just someone else's entertainment. A fun game to play on the weekends, when wanting to forget about studying or school or people.

Their whole journey to end the Dark Hour and save the world? Just a neat little story to pad out the game to sixty hours. Yukari's breakdown at Yakushima? A dramatic plot point to add some poignancy to it all. Chidori dying, Shinjiro dying, Ikutsuki dying? All to add some tension and some sorrow for the protagonists. Minato's tragic and sudden death? The bittersweet ending to cap it all off. The Abyss of Time? The expansion allowing for the audience to get some closure.

In some other universe, some writer had just made this story not because he was God and he wanted to create a new world. Someone had written _their lives _because he'd been paid to. Because it was his job.

Before they knew it, Aigis had encountered yet another Shadow.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** There's another Shadow ahead of you! You'll be at a disadvantage if the enemy gets the first hit in, so try to surprise your opponents and strike first.**]**

So Aigis moved the analog stick forward and Minato made a dash, ignoring the briefcase as he honed in on the Shadow's backside.

* * *

**HELP: IF YOU ARE ABLE TO STRIKE THE ENEMY BEFORE YOU ARE SPOTTED, THEN YOU WILL GAIN THE INITIATIVE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE ENEMY HITS YOU FIRST, THE OPPOSITE WILL OCCUR.**

* * *

Mitsuru muttered quietly to herself, "I literally just said that," as Minato laid down another _Slash!_

* * *

_BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY BAAAAAAAAA~!_

_Mass Destruction _kicked in as everybody got into their positions. Aigis had had Minato strike first, meaning he and his allies had an advantage in battle.

**[Mitsuru:** Now's a good time for me to explain about attack properties, which are important to consider during battle. Do you want to know more?**]**

* * *

**{Yes, please.}**

{No, thanks.}

* * *

Aigis was about to move down and press X, but the phone rang again.

_Actually, this is kind of necessary to learning the game so I'd advise clicking Yes if you don't wanna have a hard time_

How very kind of you, Aigis suddenly said but didn't say. She didn't expect the phone to ring a second time, however.

_3 I love y'all too much to put you guys through too much trouble_

Then you shouldn't have sent us the game.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Nearly every type of attack is associated with a particular property,**] **she said, as Minato's body bobbed up and down and he and the Shadow remained in their positions as though stuck in a Mexican Standoff. **[**For example, swords can be used to do "Slash" attacks, while bows are used to do "Pierce" attacks. Skills, on the other hand, have different properties. "Bufu," for instance, indicates an "Ice" attack..**] **Mitsuru had gone on about using the enemies' weaknesses against them and talked about the various spells and skills they all knew and all felt still burning and festering and thriving inside of their very souls. So they didn't really pay much attention until she said, **[**That falls under "Tactics."**]**

* * *

**HELP: THE FIRST TIME AN ENEMY IS ANALYZED, YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE FOR THE RESULTS. BUT FROM THEN ON, WHENEVER YOU ANALYZE THAT PARTICULAR ENEMY, YOU'LL RECEIVE THE RESULTS RIGHT AWAY. WHEN YOU ARE SELECTING YOUR TARGET, IF A "?" APPEARS ABOVE THE ENEMY, THEN THAT PARTICULAR ENEMY HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY ANALYZED. YOU CAN SELECT "ANALYZE" FROM THE TACTICS MENU OR PRESS THE L1 BUTTON TO ISSUE THIS REQUEST.**

* * *

In the real world, Mitsuru felt a little annoyed. The game could _choose _between either using her or its own text as instructions. Using both of them just felt awkward.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** Do you follow?**]**

* * *

**{Yes.}**

{Not quite...}

{That's alright.}

* * *

X, because nobody really cared to listen a second time. Luckily, the phone agreed with them.

* * *

**[Mitsuru:** The enemies you're facing have a weakness that you can exploit. Why don't you give it a try?**]**

Two Cowardly Maya. Three Persona-users. One of whom had a Persona capable of Agi, a fire spell. And everybody remembered the many times Minato had downed these creatures with their weaknesses.

Aigis recalled something about _Tactics_, so she cycled the action-wheel until she reached that menu. Saw the various functions for the different characters and cycled through them, as well.

* * *

"No way to control the other characters, huh?" Junpei asked.

"It wouldn't necessarily be _wrong _to have that be a function," Fuuka said. "I mean, Minato _did _direct you guys into battle."

"Maybe when _Persona 4 _comes out they'll add that in," smirked Akihiko.

And then a great idea popped into my head, but then I decided against it. Nobody had any time for a _second _run through of a sixty-hour long game.

* * *

In the end, Junpei's character had settled on going offensive, Yukari's character had been set to Heal/Support, and Mitsuru simply ran on analysis when they needed her to.

But they didn't need her to, at the moment. Minato twirled the Evoker once in his hand, screamed "Orpheus!" and finally brought everything full circle. His Persona made one motion, and flames scorched the Maya closest in proximity to him, knocking it flat on the ground. Really, the fire should've burnt it to cinders, but this was video game logic.

* * *

Hearing his voice again.

It was an odd sensation. Minato had mostly kept to himself. When he wasn't quiet, he was nice. And when he wasn't nice, then he was dealing with Shadows. Or mulling over certain events. Yukari remembered how Minato had stayed indoors the entire week after Aragaki-senpai's passing, Junpei remembered his unfathomably sallow expression after Ikutsuki's betrayal, and so on.

But then they remembered, now of all times, that in battle, Minato was anything but quiet or nice. Every time he screamed his Personas' names, he did so with a passion that almost seemed like new life had been breathed into him. With a single shout, he could rouse up the whole group into fighting against the world. Often, all he'd ever needed to inspire leadership in his peers was to say a name.

* * *

But Yukari shouted, "One more!"

For no discernible reason, at first. Until Aigis discovered that it was still Minato's turn.

* * *

"Huh?"

"That's interesting," said Junpei. "So you hit it with its weakness, and you get another turn. Actually adds some level of strategy to this whole thing."

At least until Minato would gain Orpheus Telos or Messiah or Thanatos or Lucifer or any top-tier Persona along with the Omnipotent Orb. But I figured now that it seemed more expedient to skip over some events they'd later encounter. Might as well get things moving along a little bit quicker. I sent them a text.

"Phone rang," said Yukari.

Junpei grabbed it and read.

_Enemies get KO'd if u hit their weaknesses or land a critical; once you do that, u get another turn. U can attack the same enemy or a different one from that point. If u KO another enemy, you can attack again. And again and again and again till u win._

Junpei blinked. "That's...not a bad gameplay mechanic."

"Though it might get repetitive if there's sixty hours of it..."

Ho_hoooo_ they didn't even get to the good stuff yet.

_You can't KO an enemy that's already been hit on its weak spot. Ask Mitsuru to analyze if you need her to._

Yukari reclined her head in her seat as she groaned in impatience, "Could'a told us this stuff earlier. Would've saved time."

Ring.

_Thought it'd be more fun if you guys played the game and learned with time._

"But the game isn't fun," Junpei said. "It's...it's never been fun."

_But ure not even at da gud stuff yet bruv_

Understandably, nobody really seemed all that happy at that kind of response. What 'good' stuff was there to await them but sixty hours of potshotting Shadows? So I texted them before they could even reply.

_We'll be ending today's session kinda sorta soon. But I'mma lay down some ground rules for u right now  
There's only three, and I'll hit u with one first  
I'll tell u the rest when we come to it_

"'Ground rules?'" repeated Mitsuru.

_1) You can fight however you'd like against Shadows, and you can even call me up for tips if you encounter a tough boss.  
_

Aigis blinked. "That's...quite convenient, actually. Would be interesting. Are the enemies in this game that difficult?"

_If you let them be. I suggest training twice a week, at least :3_

"They even have Minato's schedule down pat...," Yukari moaned. But then she tore her head up. She looked at everyone. Everyone looked at her. They saw that glint in her eyes, the spark of an idea that had just hit them as well. They hadn't wanted to think it, they didn't even think it was possible.

This...was not Minato's voice. The text didn't feel like him. Didn't feel right. But then they were learning a great deal about their leader already. They'd learned of his nihilism. Of Social Links and how bonds affected his powers. How he had never gotten to tell any of them of it. How he had made the decision not to say anything at all. About his fears, about his sadness, about that which he'd kept behind bars.

So they couldn't help but have the golden question pop up in their heads as Junpei gripped the phone and his jaw grew slack, as everyone stared at it in anticipation as to whether or not it would answer the question that they were all asking.

So I answered them with the truth.

_I'll tell you who I am when all of this ends.  
__But you must know that I am not him._

Yukari and Junpei felt somewhat deflated at that. Fuuka grew more uncomfortable and sank further in the cushions of the couch. Aigis' shoulders lowered and loosened for just a single second. Mitsuru and Akihiko, in their world-weariness, had figured I was not him. Because for a moment, hope had risen that perhaps he'd come back. Because despite everything they were learning about him, about the secrets he'd been keeping and the emotions he had not shared at all with them, it at least would've been nice to know that he had...

...that his burden had been...

I frowned at them. Even from where I was, from the rooftop literally a building away.

I messaged them back, deciding to give them at least a better hint of where he was and where they were in comparison.

_The reason he is not here himself is because he put himself at risk.  
__The reason I am here is to lighten the load on his back.  
__And the reason you are all there is to finally get to know the man you loved, in your own ways._

Everybody's hearts sank somewhat at my vagueness. But I knew that I had to save it for when the game would end. Whether they'd finish it in sixty hours, sixty days, sixty months, weeks, years. I would not stop pestering them until they knew what he did. And what I did. And what they did to him, and for him. At the end of everything.

And all Junpei could say was, "...How does he text so quickly?"

* * *

**Okay, I know you guys voted that I'd focus on major events and the story behind the scenes, but i feel that the first Tartarus exploration requires more in-depth description, something I can't do before the deadline hits. So we'll continue the expedition in the next chap, and THEN properly begin the quest to make this story more condensed yet at the same time retain its poignancy.**


	14. Chapter 12

**[Mitsuru:** An All-Out Attack will allow your entire team to attack simultaneously. Your enemies will be unable to defend against it; it's a very reliable method of attack. Whether or not you want to perform an All-Out Attack is up to you. But remember, you cannot perform it when you're alone. So if you want to have it in your arsenal, make sure your team comprises at least two members.**]**

* * *

And Mitsuru continued on and on with how Shadows would become stronger the further they'd advance into Tartarus, how it was okay to retreat in the face of extremely powerful enemies, and how the current battle they had to face at the moment (four Cowardly Mayas, all weak to Agi) was one of _those times _they could not escape, the game went on.

The team followed the game's instructions and Aigis did as she was told to do. Using Agi upon the ensuing troupe of Cowardly Mayas, she would down each one and then take them out with one big grand attack that pretty much ended them all. Though they had just done something I personally consider _totally awesome_, especially in the PSP version, they all just played through it as though it were nothing at all.

"Perhaps I should have them take longer breaks between play sessions," I said to the sky, eating from a bag of popcorn.

If they were gonna be sticks in the mud the whole way through, I didn't know how they were going to properly progress through the game. _Persona 3 FES _required patience, required discipline, required skill. If they were to allow themselves to be maddened the whole way through, they'd die a thousand times before reaching Nyx.

* * *

**Ground Rules, Part Two**

* * *

Then Minato and his sorry chums found themselves at an intersection and could not progress any further. It was at this point that Mitsuru spoke voicelessly, **[Mitsuru:** ...That's odd. Usually, there are more Shadows on the prowl. ...Well, at least you gained some experience in battle. Let's go back to the dorm for today. There should be an Access Point somewhere on that floor. You can use it to return to the entrance. Since there aren't any enemies to worry about, why don't you split up and search individually? Just tell the other party members what you'd like them to do.**]**

* * *

Everybody recalled how little Minato would tell them to spread out over floors. He'd always made clear to have everyone stay together unless it was absolutely necessary of them to break away. Shadows were always so aggravatingly tough, so the others had often relied on his leadership and his extraordinary skill at battle to pull them through.

Junpei recalled how Minato had not spoken to him for a while after the monorail; Yukari recalled how Minato had demanded everyone stay together whenever Fuuka would take notice of The Reaper trawling through the current floor; Mitsuru recalled how Minato's first instinct whenever being tossed into a floor shrouded in darkness was to make sure nobody strayed away, even making them _hold hands _the whole way through till they'd find an exit.

These memories were kind of sort of fond-ish, but before they could dwell upon them any further, Junpei's in-game character remarked that he-

* * *

**[Junpei: **-found an Access Point! You wanna head back?**]**

So of course Aigis chose _Yes _because she, like everyone else, wanted to get today's session over with. I'd told them they'd be done soon with it, after all. So when Minato, Junpei, and Yukari returned to the lobby, Mitsuru's youthful self got to asking questions.

**[Mitsuru:** Welcome back. So, how was it?**]**

* * *

Junpei felt the game itself wasn't _too _bad, all things considered. In fact, he thought the combat was a little mundane, in a way; just exploit the enemy's weakness and let the game win itself. After all, he recalled how Minato would often use Thanatos and Messiah and how they would clear the battlefield in less than an instant. So the moment they'd get those Personas, the game would pretty much be over.

That being said, the others weren't particularly enthused. Akihiko looked curious, even; Tartarus battles were commonly both exhausting and brutal. To have such chaotic scenarios played out in such a distilled form as what he'd just witnessed was...odd, to say the least. Though he had to admit, the game _basically _got it right. Their strategies in both Tartarus and the Full Moon Shadows largely consisted of them scanning for the enemies' weaknesses before capitalizing upon them before the going got too tough.

It was just that, in real life, there was a lot more dodging and running and on-the-fly planning that more often than not resulted in grievous injuries that _nobody _would be able to recover from without the use of dia.

Fuuka herself remembered using Lucia and Juno way back when. She'd bore witness to all the times Minato and the squad had gotten wounded in the heat of battle. Sometimes she would still dream of one particular instance where Shinjiro-senpai had been hit with a fireball to his spine and everyone had to focus on healing him while Minato made short work of the Shadow that'd gotten that lucky blast in. She wasn't much of a gamer, but she too believed such a gameplay style was kind of...simplistic in comparison to how battles had usually gone.

* * *

**{No problem.}**

{I don't know about this...}

{I'm exhausted.}

* * *

Everybody knew exactly what Minato was going to answer.

_2._

Until they didn't.

"Are. You. Kidding me."

_Nahhh_

"You have to be lying."

_Really I'm not_

"He had no problem fighting Shadows at all! That's like, one of the things he made clear the most above all!"

_Seriously I'm not lying brah_

"_GRRRRRAH_!" Junpei exclaimed, lowering his head. "Hit the second one..."

"_What_?" Aigis questioned.

"Guy on the phone said it, just do it."

Aigis sighed, then did as she was told. _Down_, _X. _She really was going to have to get used to it, she realized.

* * *

**[Mitsuru: **Don't get discouraged. You completed your task, and that's something to be proud of.**]**

**[Junpei:** Wow... I never knew I had that kind of power! We kicked some ass! But damn, I'm beat...**]**

**[Yukari:** That's cuz you were bouncin' around like a little kid.**]**

**[Junpei:** You look pretty tired yourself, Yuka-tan.**]**

**[Yukari:** I'm still trying to catch my breath, actually...**]**

**[Mitsuru:** That's the effect of the Dark Hour; you'll become fatigued more easily. Don't worry, though, you'll adapt. But, I'm surprised... You all did much better than I expected. At this rate, they'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko.**]**

**[Akihiko:** Heh, we'll see about that.**]**

_***SMASH!***_

**...!? A mysterious voice rings in your head...**

Time stopped. The world lost color.

_**"Thou art I... And I am thou...**_  
_**Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to make a Persona of the Fool Arcana..."**_

**The SEES Social Link has reached level 2! Your power to create Personas of the Fool Arcana has grown!**

* * *

"This again...?" Mitsuru pondered aloud, leaning forward in her seat.

"So...this was how our...bond progressed?" Fuuka managed out.

"Well. It makes sense, I suppose," said Akihiko. "It'd actually surprise me if our Social Links _didn't _progress this way. Fighting Shadows and progressing in our goals were pretty much all that kept us company."

He was not necessarily wrong. They all had shared their own unique bonds with Minato, yet they had rarely ever hung out together as a team just for fun's sake. They recalled hanging out at the shrine on New Year's and...at that playground at Naganaki, the night before their final battle against Nyx. It seemed bittersweet, almost; their bond was indeed genuine, but it was largely founded upon the terrors they had trudged through.

* * *

**4/21/09**

**Early Morning**

At this point, Minato was heading to the school grounds. The sky was bright and the sakura leaves had begun falling all around him. Approaching him was a young man, seemingly his age, with brown hair and beady eyes.

**[Friendly Student:** Hey, you're Minato, right?**]**

* * *

"Kenji!?" exclaimed Junpei. "You serious...!?"

"Are they gonna have us meet up with _all _of his friends...?" Yukari wondered.

"Wait, is he going to be a Social Link?" Fuuka asked.

"Prolly, I don't know!" whined Junpei. "They hung out quite a bit...hung out more than he and I ever did..."

Junpei was sad now. And I felt a little bad. But whatever.

I texted them a _1_, and let them continue on.

* * *

**{Yeah, why?}**

{Who are you?}

* * *

**[Friendly Student:** Man, I knew it. I heard from Junpei that you're pretty close with Yukari-san. ...What's up with that? Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I'm looking for someone with a little more experience anyway. By the way... I'm Kenji Tomochika. There's a morning assembly, so we better hurry.**]**

* * *

Yukari leaned in her seat, "Was kinda hoping the rumors hadn't reached him..."

"Well. It kinda helped out, in the end. Didn't it?" Junpei asked.

Yukari breathed, "Yeah. I suppose. Though...I don't know."

There was something Minato had told her, that day she confessed to him. Something she wasn't too keen on remembering. So she just kept silent as I pursed my lips and began to feel a little bad myself.

* * *

They were back in the gymnasium and though they had been here once before in-game, they were still quite amazed by

**[Student:** ...That concludes the main portion of today's assembly. Next, we'll hear a word from the Student Council. Please welcome the new President, Mitsuru Kirijo, from Class 3-D.**]**

**[Mitsuru:** Thank you.**]**

[The student steps aside and Mitsuru walks to the podium. Focus shifts to Main,

Yukari, and Junpei in the seats.]

**[Yukari:** So, she did get elected.**] **Yukari said dismissively, **[**Well... I guess she IS the most popular girl in school.**]**

**[Junpei:** You can say that again! There's like some kinda aura around her... Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?**]**

**[Yukari:** Yeah, I try not to think about that.**]**

* * *

Mitsuru was not offended by Yukari's statements because they had already moved past such things.

And as her character made her speech about _digging deep inside yourselves to unlock your true potential_, everybody just watched it unfold, remembering that day all too well. Partly because the principal eventually made a _very_ similar speech not a few days after she'd made it, for some reason. Still...it was nice to get a glimpse of some peaceful days before the inevitable would occur.

* * *

**[Junpei:** Dang... That was freaking amazing...**] **then he turned to Minato, **[**So... Do you have any idea what she just said?**]**

* * *

**{Sort of.}**

{Not a clue.}

{I wasn't listening.}

* * *

_3_

Junpei snickered while Mitsuru squinted at the phone, sighing as she leaned back in her seat. Aigis, amused at the thought of Minato just straight-up ignoring his senpai, got to pressing buttons.

"Do you remember him saying that?" Mitsuru asked Junpei.

"He slept, back then, " Junpei chuckled. "From what I remember, at least..."

Mitsuru just shook her head and folded her arms. She didn't understand how Arisato had managed to get such good grades, despite the fact that Takeba and Iori would often catch him sleeping in class.

* * *

Later, after a class session where they had Minato sleep as Toriumi gave a lecture (much to pretty much everyone's expectations), this message popped up on-screen.

**HELP: AS OF TODAY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO USE YOUR TIME AFTER SCHOOL AS YOU WISH. IF YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED SOCIAL LINKS, YOU MAY WISH TO SPEND TIME WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS. ALSO, THERE ARE MANY PLACES YOU CAN GO TO IN THE AREA TO RAISE YOUR CHARM, COURAGE, AND ACADEMICS. BE SURE TO LOOK AROUND TOWN AS WELL AS IN THE SCHOOL.**

* * *

_Rule Number Two:_

"Guys, second one of these 'Ground Rules...'"

"What's this one say?" Yukari asked Junpei.

_Try and make as many friends as you can. No restrictions whatsoever. Pick as many as you want.  
Just befriend who you wanna befriend._

Junpei blinked. "S-seriously...?"

_There are preset NPCs in-game whom you can Social Link. There are over twenty. Pick and choose whoever you wanna pick and choose._

"No penalties at all?" asked Mitsuru.

_Nah_

"As many as we are able...?" asked Aigis.

_You can even break all of them, if you want. It don't matter  
__This is one of the times I'm giving you full liberty  
__After all, didn't he befriend everyone in the city already?_

It was kind of nice that they were being given some leniency over at least some aspect of the game. But at the same time, there was this lingering feeling that there were some ulterior motives at play here. But that mattered little.

* * *

Minato. Outside, on the school grounds. He spotted Akihiko, saw the scene unfold between his senpai and quite a number of his fangirls, and he observed.

**[Akihiko Fan:** Look, it's Akihiko-senpai!**]**

**[Giddy Schoolgirl:** Where!? ...Oh, there he is!**]**

**[Akihiko:** ...**]**

Junpei then sauntered into frame, standing next to Minato and joining him in observation.

**[Junpei:** Have you noticed how popular Akihiko-san is with the ladies? Man, take a look at that...I didn't use to talk to him much, but now I've got a good excuse. I know he's the captain of the boxing team, but...**]**

* * *

"Didn't know I mattered that little to you, Junpei," Akihiko smirked. "I'm _hurt_."

"Oh, come on," Junpei grunted, "we barely knew each other at that point."

"I know, still. It's kinda funny, really," he admitted, "only reason you wanted to even socialize with me was 'cause of _those _girls..."

"Were you never interested in getting a girlfriend?" Yukari asked him.

He shrugged, "I can fight bears. That's enough for me."

Junpei's brow twitched, thought that perhaps Akihiko had kind of a point right there. Though, it was funny and terrifying to think of Akihiko training in some snowy landscape, shirtless and armed only with his brass knuckles, punching out bears in a torrential blizzard.

_Did you see that, Shinji__—!?_

_Put on some clothes._

* * *

**[Junpei:** Who woulda thought he'd be such a chick magnet!? I mean, come on! You don't even see girls flock like that on TV! I wonder where they're going...**]**

Akihiko then moved forward, his fangirls following him and cheering his name and calling for him to return to them. Yet all he did was speak to Minato and Junpei. **[Akihiko:** Hey, are you guys free this afternoon?**]**

All of a sudden hyped up, Junpei exclaimed, **[Junpei:** Hell yeah! Whatcha got in mind!?**]**

**[Akihiko:** I want the two of you to meet me at Paulownia Mall. You know where it is, right? I'll be at the police station. See ya there.**]**

**[Junpei:** Th-The police station? You mean, we're not hangin' out with your friends...?**]**

**[Akihiko:** Who, these girls? I don't even know their names. They talk so much they give me a headache. Anyway, I'm gonna head out. ...Don't keep me waiting.**]**

* * *

Junpei admitted to himself it was kind of nice to see that old chauvinist persona (heh) of his back again. It was still a little embarrassing, but it was always nice to catch a glimpse of a bygone age every now and again. That messed-up sense of nostalgia seemed to be partly responsible for keeping them locked on the game.

* * *

**[Akihiko Fan:** Awww... Why can't he be more friendly?**] **she sighed.

**[Admirer:** But, that's what makes him so cool!**]**

And then they both just ran after him without a care in the world.

Exasperatedly, Junpei cried, **[Junpei:** Man, how can he not know their names!? I mean, seriously! Just look at them! ...Oh well, let's go.**]**

* * *

Yukari and Fuka turned to Junpei, and though he smiled, they wondered how he must taking all of this. Because they knew Chidori was still fresh in his mind. Not a day went by, did they see him without that cross necklace on him. In hindsight, seeing him go after women in-game seemed both funny and sad. Because now, they didn't quite see him going after anyone.

And it was concerning, honestly. It'd been years. But that's what love'll do to you. They knew all about that, as well; they didn't have much right to talk. Navy blue's still a bit of a touchy color for them to even look at.

* * *

**Akihiko asked you to meet him at the Paulownia Mall police station... You decide to head over there...**

Once Minato and Junpei entered Paulownia, the very first thing Aigis noticed was a large blue alleyway that just _sung _of Velvet. Just seeing it triggered something in her memory banks that sounded like an aria of lost souls. But that wasn't her concern right now. Police station, that was where she was told to bring them to.

When they entered the old station, they saw Akihiko talking to a gruff-looking cop the players were _all _familiar with, and they got down to business.

**[Akihiko:** Thank you, Sir. Oh, these are the guys I was talking about earlier.**] **Kurosawa displayed an ellipses after that, and Akihiko continued, **[**I was waiting for you guys. This is Officer Kurosawa. He helps keep our squad well-equipped. And, this is from Ikutsuki-san...**]**

**[Junpei:** R-Really!? Sweet!**]**

**You and Junpei each received 5,000 yen.**

* * *

"Psssh, only five thousand...," Junpei muttered.

"What?" Akihiko groaned. "You thought we'd give you, like, ten thousand off the bat?"

"Nah, man, but...," Junpei rubbed the back of his head, "not a good start to any kinda partnership, givin' your teammates such low wads of cash."

"Least you _got _cash," Akihiko grunted. "_I _lived on cup noodles and beef bowl soup after the orphanage."

* * *

**[Akihiko:** You can't fight something empty-handed, so find something you like. Officer Kurosawa has connections... But, these things still cost money.**]**

**[Officer Kurosawa:** Of course they do. Nothing in life is free.**]**

**[Akihiko:** I realize that. Well, I'll see you later. Thanks again.**]** At this point, Akihiko left the conversation, allowing Kurosawa to continue his spiel.

**[Officer Kurosawa:** I've been informed about you two. My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances. I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on here. I'm only doing what I think is right.**]**

And so they bought.

Minato and Junpei both ended up getting greatswords, while Yukari got a semi-better bow. And this brought back some memories.

* * *

"I remember getting a little mad at Minato," said Junpei. "When I found out he bought greatswords for both of us, I thought he was trying to rip me off. But then he told me he was always a fan of some manga where this guy had a sword that was less a sword and more like a slab o' iron..."

Yukari _pffft_ed, "Didn't know Minato was into that kinda cheesy stuff...though, considering he watched Featherman often, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise."

* * *

**[Junpei:** Pshh, only 5,000 yen...**] **Junpei said, much like his real-life counterpart did. I'm gonna take off, since I'm in a bad mood now... Later.**]**

**Junpei has left.**

Yup. Just like that, Junpei was gone. Leaving Aigis with one other option. Considering I didn't text them back on if they could/couldn't go into the Room at this very moment, Aigis decided to risk things.

And she did, Minato entering that alley and spotting an ominous blue door at the very end of the hall.

* * *

Yukari wiped her face, "That's why he went to the mall so often..."

"Well, to be fair, he probably also hung out with some of his other friends as well at the time...," Fuka mused.

* * *

Then the aria. The blue. The Hunchback of Notre Velvet and Elizabeth, his companion.

**[Igor:** Ah, there you are. Welcome to the Velvet Room. Well... I suppose it's time for me to explain what I really do here. It is my job to create new Personas. But in order to do so, I must fuse your Persona cards together... In other words, I shall merge them into a single Persona. Furthermore, if you've established a Social Link, you may be able to create an even stronger Persona. So, as you accumulate cards, please bring them to me.**]**

**[Elizabeth:** How may I help you?**]**

* * *

So I decided to give them rule number three.

_RULE NUMBER THREE:  
You can fuse anybody you want  
BUT  
DO  
NOT  
FUSE  
MESSIAH_

* * *

**_Ironically Persona 5 is largely responsible for keeping me away from this fic  
That and other stories :P But I'm kinda back :D_**

**_You guys take time out of your days to review this story written by some garbage dude who barely updates his most well-received fics :P No matter what, I really am grateful for all you guys sticking around. I'm happy I've managed to get people as pumped for a story I've written (though to be fair, it's 50 percent the game, so :P)_**


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